XII. Spencer W. Kimball
April 5, 1974 General Conference
Guidelines to Carry Forth the Work of God in Cleanliness
President Spencer W. Kimball
My brothers and sisters and friends, another April has come, and with
it the birthdate of the Church, organized on the birthday of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, which we have celebrated on the sixth of April. This
weekend, we conduct the 144th Annual Conference of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The last three conferences we had as our leader President Harold B.
Lee, whom we miss greatly today. He was a man of many talents, of great
strength and courage, and with an obsession to follow the instructions of
the Lord.
Since December 26, we have been lonely without him. He was as a high
peak in a mighty range of impregnable mountains. He has become an
important part of eternity.
Sister Jo M. Shaw has written lines in memory of him, and may I quote
those words as I express humbly, but sincerely, our love and affection for
President Harold B. Lee. We are grateful to have Sister Lee with us today.
In Memory of a Prophet of God
President Harold B. Lee
A prophet died, and at his grave
Stood mourning Saints of God.
We wept, and heaven wept; her tears
Splashed on the winter sod.
Some lived and died and never knew
The value of his word
Because they never knew he was
A prophet of the Lord.
Some found his comfort, far away
And never saw his face,
Nor touched his hand, nor heard his
voice;
Still, knew his gentle grace.
Some lived near the prophet's heart
And knelt with him if prayer;
Acquainted with a noble man,
They knew his kind watch-care.
I bless his name because I knew!
And know! And shall remember
The day I wept, and heaven wept,
One sad day in December.
We would not have had it thus, but now the only thing for us to do is
press forward firmly.
In the press conferences an ever-recurring question has been asked
us: "Mr. President, what are you going to do now that you have the
leadership of the Church in your hands?"
My answer has been that for the past 30 years, as a member of the
Council of the Twelve Apostles, I have had a little to do with the making
of policies and the formation of the present extensive, full, and
comprehensive program. I anticipate no major changes in the immediate
future, but do hope to give increased emphasis to some of the programs
already established. This is a day of consolidating our efforts, and
firming up our programs, and reaffirming our policies.
We recognize our greatest problem is our rapid growth. Our increase
in numbers is phenomenal, for the population has doubled in these past few
years. Thirty years ago we counted our members in hundreds of thousands,
and today over three million. There were 146 stakes in 1943 when I first
visited stakes, and today there are some 635 stakes. There were 38
missions in 1943; today there are 107. In 1943 there were no stakes
overseas, and now 70. This unprecedented growth pleases us, but challenges
us tremendously. We are interested in numbers only incidentally. We are
obsessed first to see that all men obtain eternal life.
The monumental challenge in 1974, then, is to provide trained
leadership for the fast-multiplying units of members and to help that
membership to keep clean from that world in which they must live. May we
then reaffirm some vital matters which concern us.
One is our civil obligations. We are approaching election time, when
we must choose again those persons who will represent us in positions of
responsibility in our civil government--federal state, and local.
Early in this dispensation the Lord made clear the position his
restored church should take with respect to civil government. In the
revelation he gave to the Prophet Joseph Smith, he said: "And now, verily
I say unto you concerning the . . . law of the land which is
constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights
and privileges, [that it] belongs to all mankind, [p. 5] and is
justifiable before me.
"Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you . . . in befriending that law
which is the constitutional law of the land." (D&C 98:4-6.)
In harmony with this statement, the Church later adopted as one of
its Articles of Faith: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents,
rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."
(12th Article of Faith.)
In 1835 at a general assembly the Church adopted by unanimous vote a
"Declaration of Belief regarding Governments and Laws in general," in
which
"We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers
and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will
administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld
by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign."
(D&C 134:3.)
In 1903 President Joseph F. Smith said, "The Church [as such] does
not engage in politics; its members belong to the political parties at
their own pleasure. . . ." ("The Probable Cause," Improvement Era, June
1903, p. 626.)
And in the October conference in 1951, the First Presidency said:
"A threat to our unity derives from unseemly personal antagonisms
developed in partisan political controversy. The Church, while reserving
the right to advocate principles of good government underlying equity,
justice, and liberty, the political integrity of officials, and the active
participation of its members, and the fulfillment of their obligations in
civic affairs, exercises no constraint on the freedom of individuals to
make their own choices and affiliations . . . any man who makes
representation to the contrary does so without authority and justification
in fact." (President Stephen L Richards, Conference Report, October 1951,
pp. 114-15.)
Now these statements we reaffirm as setting forth the position of the
Church today concerning civil government and politics.
Furthermore, in order to implement our divine charge to seek for such
"civil officers . . . as will administer the law in equity and justice,"
we urge Church members to attend the mass meetings of their respective
political parties and there exercise their influence.
Every Latter-day Saint should sustain, honor, and obey the
constitutional law of the land in which he lives.
Along with our unprecedented growth, our next problem is definitely
the world--not the high ranges and the wide valleys and the hot deserts
and the deep oceans but the pattern of life to which too many of our
people gear their lives.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world," said
John. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world." (1 John 2:15-16.)
The encroachment of the world into our lives is threatening! How hard
it seems for many of us to live in the world and yet not of the world.
Through Isaiah the word of the Lord comes:
"And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their
iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will
lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." (Isa. 13:11.)
When Satan took the Lord into an exceeding high mountain, he
promised, "All these things will 1 give thee, if thou wilt fall down and
worship me." (Matt. 4:9.)
"These things" were the dens of vice and areas of sin and physical
gratification and lustful temptations.
Long ago the Lord made his plans with great precision and announced
them, saying, "For behold, this is my work and my glory to bring to pass
the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39.)
His further words: ". . . that ye might be sanctified from all sin,
and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the
world to [p. 6] come, even immortal glory." (Moses 6:59.)
Now the works of the flesh are many, as given by Paul: ". . .
Perilous times shall come [They are upon us!] For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, . . . Without natural affection . . . incontinent . . ."
(2 Tim. 3:1-3), ". . . [with] vile affections: for even their women did
change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust
one toward another . . . inventors of evil things . . ." (Rom. 1:26, 27,
30), thieves, drunkards, extortioners.
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the
world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4.)
These are some of the ugly acts and activities that we call the
world.
Just before the crucifixion, the Lord pleaded, "I pray not that thou
shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them
from the evil." (John 17:15.)
This is the prayer we continually utter, and our major effort is to
see that the members of the Church are sanctified through their
righteousness.
These ugly transgressions Paul called "doctrines of devils," and
their authors "seducing spirits." (See 1 Tim. 4:1.) These distortions of
the normal life have not changed in this century, except possibly to grow
more vile and permissive and vulgar and degenerate.
And we plead with our people everywhere, "Submit yourselves therefore
to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7.)
Our sermon is one of reaffirmation and reassurance. We urge our
people to "stand in holy places." (DEC 45:32.)
What we are saying today is not new doctrine, but as old as the day
of creation.
There may be some who have a general feeling of uneasiness because of
world conditions and lengthening shadows of evil, but the Lord said, if ye
are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30), and again, "Peace I leave
with you. . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
(John 14:27.)
You have come here seeking guidance. It is the purpose of your
leaders to give that direction. As the brethren speak, you will feel the
inspiration of our Lord. The gospel gives purpose in our lives. It is the
way to happiness.
Sister Eliza R. Snow wrote of our Lord:
"He marked the path and led the way, And every point defines To light
and life and endless day Where God's full presence shines." LDS Hymns, no.
68.
Now the family is basic. We are children of our Heavenly Father, and
as he loves us, so our souls are bound up in our posterity. All the morals
are woven into the warp and woof of the gospel of Christ.
The lighted way, then, brings us to normal, clean courting of young
men and women, coming eventually to a virtuous union at an altar where a
fully authorized servant of God seals the union for eternity. The Hebrew
saints were properly taught, "Marriage Is honourable in all, and the bed
undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Heb. 13:4.)
And to those who might decry marriage or postpone it or forbid it
Paul spoke, condemning them. It is generally selfishness, cold and
self-centered, which leads people to shun marriage responsibility. There
are many who talk and write against marriage. Even some of our own delay
marriage and argue against it. To all who are deceived by these "doctrines
of devils," we urge the return to normalcy. We call upon all people to
accept normal marriage as a basis for true happiness. The Lord did not
give sex to man for a plaything. Basically marriage presupposes a family.
The psalmist said:
"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb
is his reward.
"Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. . . ." (Ps.
127:3, 5.)
Certainly anyone who purposely denies himself or herself honorable
parenthood is to be pitied, for the great joy of parenthood is fundamental
in the normal, full life, and we remember the command of God in the,
beginning,
". . . Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue
it. (Gen. 1:28.)
Then the recorder writes: "And God saw every thing that he had made,
and, behold, it was very good. . . ." (Gen 1:31.)
In our dispensation comes the doctrine: ". . . for [virgins] are
given unto [man] to multiply and replenish the earth, according to [God's]
commandment, . . . and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that
they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father
continued, that he may be glorified." (D&C 132:63.)
We decry the prevalence of broken homes. Every man should love his
wife and cherish and protect her all the days of their lives and she
should love, honor, and appreciate her husband; and we hear the historian
Moses quoting his Lord: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his
mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
(Gen. 2:24.)
Paul says: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto
the Lord.
"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head
of the church. . . .
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and
gave himself for it.
"So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth
his wife loveth himself.
"For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." (Eph. 5:22, 23, 25, 28-29.)
This is often misunderstood, both by husbands and by wives. Consider
it well, and do not contend nor argue with your Heavenly Father. When a
man gives leadership in his home as Christ gives leadership in his church,
little else can be desired.
Analyze the divorces of which you know, and you will find so often
selfishness is in them.
Most divorces are unwarranted [p. 7] and come of weakness and
selfishness and often result in great unhappiness for the divorced persons
and also almost irreparable damage and frustration to the unfavored
children, who are torn and disturbed.
Certainly, selfishness is near its greatest peak when innocent
children must suffer for the sins of their parents. Almost like a broken
record come from divorcees that it is better to have them grow up in a
single-parent home than a fighting home. The answer to that specious
argument is: there need be no battling parents in fighting homes.
Someone checked a long list of divorces and found that almost all of
them came about through selfishness, where people were determined to get
as much as they could and give as little as possible. It was found in this
survey that about 90 percent gave as the reason for the breakup immorality
on the part of one or both of the participants.
Immorality is totally selfish. Can you think of a single unselfish
element in that sin? Accordingly, if two good people will discard
selfishness, generally they can be compatible.
Again, abortion is a growing evil that we speak against. Certainly
the terrible sin of premeditated abortion would be hard to justify. It is
almost inconceivable that an abortion would ever be committed to save face
or embarrassment, to save trouble or inconvenience, or to escape
responsibility. How could one submit to such an operation or be party in
any way by financing or encouraging? If special rare cases could be
justified, certainly they would be rare indeed. We place it high on the
list of sins against which we strongly warn the people.
"Abortion must be considered one of the most revolting and sinful
practices in this day, when we are witnessing the frightful evidence of
permissiveness leading to sexual immorality." (Priesthood Bulletin,
February 1973, p. 1.)
As to drugs ". . . the Church has consistently opposed the improper
and harmful use of drugs or similar substances under circumstances which
would result in addiction, physical or mental impairment or in lowering
moral standards." We reaffirm this positive statement.
Then in the area of one of Satan's most destructive evils, we
strongly warn all our people from childhood to old age to beware of the
chains of bondage, suffering, and remorse which come from improper use of
the body.
The human body is the sacred home of the spirit child of God, and
unwarranted tampering with or defilement of this sacred tabernacle can
bring only remorse and regret. We urge: stay clean, uncontaminated,
undefiled.
Jude says: ". . . There should be mockers in the last time, who
should walk after their own ungodly lusts." (Jude 18.)
We urge, with Peter, ". . . Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul." (1 Pet. 2:11.) No indecent exposure or pornography or
other aberrations to defile the mind and spirit. No fondling of bodies,
one's own or that of others, and no sex between persons except in proper
marriage relationships. This is positively prohibited by our Creator in
all places, at all times, and we reaffirm it. Even in marriage there can
be some excesses and distortions. No amount of rationalization to the
contrary can satisfy a disappointed Father in heaven. In this connection,
we quote a paragraph from a popular evangelist, Billy Graham:
". . . The Bible celebrates sex and its proper use, presenting it as
God-created, God-ordained, God-blessed. It makes plain that God himself
implanted the physical magnetism between the sexes for two reasons: for
the propagation of the human race, and for the expression of that kind of
love between man and wife that makes for true oneness. His command to the
first man and woman to be one flesh was as important as his command to `be
fruitful and multiply.'
"The Bible makes plain that evil, when related to sex means not the
use of something inherently corrupt but [p. 8] the misuse of something
pure and good. It teaches clearly that sex can be a wonderful servant but
a terrible master: that it can be a creative force more powerful than any
other in the fostering of a love, companionship, happiness or can be the
most destructive of all of life's forces." (Billy Graham, "What the Bible
Says About Sex," Reader's Digest May 1970, p. 118.)
We reaffirm again our strong, unalterable stand against unchastity in
all of its many manifestations.
Now our mothers have a sacred role. The following is a partial quote
from the First Presidency of the Church. We reaffirm it strongly:
"Motherhood thus becomes a holy calling, a sacred dedication for
carrying out the Lord's plans, a consecration of devotion to the uprearing
and fostering, the nurturing in body, mind, and spirit, of those who kept
their first estate and who come to this earth for their second estate `to
see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command
them.' (Abr. 3:25.) To lead them to keep their second estate is the work
of motherhood, and `they who keep their second estate shall have glory
added upon their heads for ever and ever.'
"This divine service of motherhood can be rendered only by mothers.
It may not be passed to others. Nurses cannot do it; public nurseries
cannot do it; hired help cannot do it--only mother, aided as much as may
be by the loving hands of father, brothers, and sisters, can give the full
needed measure of watchful care.
"The mother who entrusts her child to the care of others, that she
may do non-motherly work, whether for gold, for fame, or for civic service
should remember that `a child left to himself bringeth his mother to
shame.' (Prov. 29:15.) In our day the Lord has said that unless parents
teach their children the doctrines of the Church `the sin be upon the
heads of the parents.' (D&C 68:25.)
"Motherhood is near to Divinity. It is the highest, holiest service
to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and
service next to the angels. To you mothers in Israel we say God bless and
protect you, and give you the strength and courage. the faith and
knowledge. the holy love and consecration to duty, that shall enable you
to fill to the fullest measure the sacred calling which is yours. To you
mothers and mothers-to-be we say: Be chaste, keep pure, live righteously,
that your posterity to the last generation may call you blessed."
("Message of the First Presidency," Deseret News Weekly Church Edition,
October 1942, p. 5.)
This, then, is our program: to reaffirm and boldly carry forward the
work of God in cleanliness, uprightness, and to take that gospel of truth
to that world that needs so much that godly life.
Eternal life is our goal. It can be reached only by following the
path our Lord has marked out for us.
I know this is true and right. I love our Heavenly Father and I love
his Son, and I am proud to be even a weak vessel to push forward their
great eternal work. I testify to all this humbly, sincerely, in the name
of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 6, 1974 General Conference (Solemn Assembly)
President Spencer W. Kimball
What Do We Hear?
President Spencer W. Kimball
Beloved brethren and sisters, all you who are near and you who are
afar, today we have participated in a solemn assembly. Solemn assemblies
have been known among the Saints since the days of Israel. They have been
of various kinds but generally have been associated with the dedication of
a temple or a special meeting appointed for the sustaining of a new First
Presidency or a meeting for the priesthood to sustain a revelation, such
as the tithing revelation to President Lorenzo Snow.
The Prophet Joseph Smith spoke concerning the solemn assembly:
"Tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a solemn assembly, even
of those who are the first laborers in this last kingdom." (D&C 88:70.)
Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were first sustained by a
congregation, including a fully organized priesthood. Brigham Young was
sustained on March 27, 1846, and was "unanimously elected president over
the whole Camp of Israel . . ." by the council. (B. H. Roberts, A
Comprehensive History of the Church, vol. 3, p. 52.) Later he was
sustained, and the Hosanna Shout was given.
Each of the presidents of the Church has been sustained by the
priesthood of the Church in solemn assembly down to and including
President Harold B. Lee, who was sustained October 6, 1972.
Joseph Smith led the first solemn assembly, and after closing his
discourse, he called upon the several quorums, commencing with the
presidency, to manifest by rising, their willingness to acknowledge him as
the prophet and seer and uphold him as such by their prayers and faith.
All the quorums in turn cheerfully complied with this request. He then
called upon all the congregation of Saints also to give their assent by
rising to their feet.
He then proceeded to have the quorums of the priesthood and then the
Saints in general stand to signify their sustaining; the leaders of the
Church [p. 46] and the councils of the Church were similarly approved.
Joseph Smith said:
"The vote was unanimous in every instance, and I prophesied to all,
that inasmuch as they would uphold these men in their several stations,
(alluding to the different quorums of the Church), the Lord would bless
them in the name of Jesus Christ, the blessings of heaven should be
theirs; and when the Lord's anointed go forth to proclaim the word,
bearing testimony to this generation, if they receive it they shall be
blessed, but if not, the judgments of God will follow close upon them
until that city or that house which rejects them shall be left desolate."
Then the Hosanna Shout was given. (See Documentary History of the Church,
vol. 2, pp. 416-18.)
Today you have seen the Church in action. You have seen the mighty
works of the Lord, how that everything is done by common consent, and
those who are led sustain those who lead them. This is a constituent
assembly, and all members of the Church were invited to attend.
Those of us who have this day been sustained by you enter into our
duties with full purpose of heart. We are grateful, deeply grateful, for
your sustaining vote. Our only interest now is to advise and counsel the
people aright and in total line with the counsels of the Lord as they have
come through the generations and dispensations. We love you people and
wish for you total progress and joy and happiness, which we know can come
only through following the admonitions of God as proclaimed through his
prophets and leaders.
As we incline our hearts to our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus
Christ, we hear a symphony of sweet music sung by heavenly voices
proclaiming the gospel of peace.
As representatives of the people, we follow the suggestion of Paul,
the apostle of long ago, as he urged the Colossian saints to ". . . Seek
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of
God.
"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
(Col. 3:1-2.)
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Col. 3:16.)
And so with this melody of love in our hearts, unitedly we move
forward to advance the work of the Lord, knowing that it is not for a
century or a millennium but forever.
Now as we listen to the sweet melody of eternity, what do we hear?
We hear the voice of God calling on our father Adam, person to
person, saying:
"I am God; I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh. .
. ." (Moses 6:51.)
And our father Adam gave unto us truths which have been basic since
the foundation of the world. The gospel is the same yesterday, today, and
forever. It is eternal. He proclaimed to us: ". . . the Son of God hath
atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be
answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the
foundation of the world." (Moses 6:54.)
Adam was baptized and received the Holy Ghost.
And from Adam we learned of the ultimate coming of the Son, Jehovah.
We learned of the redemption of fallen man from the grave. We hear Adam
say, ". . . In this life I shall have joy and again in the flesh I shall
see God." (Moses 5:10.)
Mortality made it possible for them to have seed, and as a result,
the families of the earth have eternity in their grasp. This prophet and
his wife ". . . ceased not to call upon God." (Moses 5:16.)
"And thus all things were confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance,
and the Gospel preached, and a decree sent forth, that it should be in the
world until the end thereof; and thus it was. . . ." (Moses 5:59.)
And thus it is eternal.
Adam received the priesthood and kept his genealogies in a book of
remembrance.
And we thank thee, O God, for this prophet who gave us this firm
beginning.
Again, we thank thee, O God, for another prophet who helped to set
the lines straight for us--Enoch, who had communion with God, who said to
him as he prophesied and taught the ways of God:
"Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I
justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall
turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you;
therefore walk with me." (Moses 6:34.)
This holy prophet did walk with God and beheld his creations back to
the beginning and forward to the resurrection of Christ and of all men,
and the scripture says:
"And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the
midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it
up into his own bosom. . . ." (Moses 7:69.)
Again, what do we hear as we listen? The voice of righteous Abraham,
the father of a race. We thank thee, O God, for this prophet Abraham, a
holy and righteous man. He was our ancestor. He had close communion with
our Lord, Jehovah.
He became an astronomer and was entrusted with numerous of the
secrets of the heavens and the universe and conversed with the leading
scientists of Egypt, the center of astronomy in those days. To Abraham was
entrusted the history of the pre-existent life which antedated the
creation of this earth, and the peopling of this earth became a well-known
story to this prophet-patriarch. He taught us pure trust in God.
When asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, with a superhuman faith, he
offered the son, even though he had been promised that Isaac would live
and would have an immense posterity, for Abraham had the unshakable faith
to assure him that even if Isaac's life were taken, ". . . God was able to
raise him up, even from the dead. . . ." (Heb. 11:19.) So we thank thee, O
God, for this great prophet.
Again we listen and what do we hear?
We hear the voice of Moses, the prophet. We hear him plead for the
freedom of Israel from cursed bondage. We see Moses' acceptance by his
Lord when the voice from the burning bush arrested his attention and
commanded: ". . . put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place
whereon thou standest is holy ground.
". . . I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob. . . ." (Exod. 3:5-6.)
And we sing again, "We thank thee, O God,"--for the prophet, the
great Moses, who lighted the lamps before the Lord.
Again as we listen, what do we hear?
We hear the voice of Jehovah addressing Peter, the president of his
church, and when asked: ". . . Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?"
(Matt. 16:13), we hear the great prophet Peter saying with a conviction
that knew no doubt: ". . . Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God." (Matt. 16:16.) And we hear him again giving his never waning
testimony, recalling [p. 47] his experience on the Mount of
Transfiguration, and he said:
"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were
eyewitnesses of his majesty.
"For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there
came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased.
"And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with
him in the holy mount." (2 Pet. 1:16-18.)
There followed an apostasy after the crucifixion, and centuries were
to pass when gross spiritual darkness covered the earth. And then when the
time was ripe, there came a great awakening, with visions and revelations
as in early days.
We listen again and what do we hear?
We hear the voice of a kneeling boy in a forest asking vital
questions: What is the truth? Which church shall I join? And another great
prophet opens another final dispensation. We hear the voice of almighty
God, the Father, saying of the one beside him in perhaps the most
spectacular vision of the ages: "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"
(Joseph Smith 2:17.)
Then listening further, we hear the voice of another who says, "I am
Jesus Christ, the son of God . . . the first and the last." (D&C 11:28,
110:4.)
The young prophet was advised that he would be an instrument in the
hands of the Lord in restoring the eternal gospel with all that was lost
in early centuries. Then these visions and revelations continued on
through years in which the voice of Jehovah was heard again and again,
restoring to the earth through this young prophet the truths of the
gospel, the priesthood of God, the apostleship, the authorities and
powers, the organization of the Church, so that again the revelations and
the everlasting truths are upon the earth and available to all men who
will accept them. The program of God has been restored that man may have
its full power and glory.
Again we listen and hear the voice of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
proclaiming: "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward
and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your
hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into
singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King
Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable
us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
"Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and
all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye
rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and
all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for
joy! And let the sun moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let
all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare
his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we
hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and
honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and
powers!" (D&C 128:22-23.)
These voices have been heard. These prophets have spoken. This is the
day of the Lord. We are in his hands. The restored gospel is here.
We shall serve you, our people, and love you and do our utmost to
guide you to your righteous, glorious destiny, with our hearts overflowing
with love and appreciation for you.
With our hands to the plow, looking forward; with our eyes to the
light, looking upward we enter into our "Fathers business" with fear and
trembling and love. We know our Heavenly Father lives. We know his
glorified Son Jesus Christ lives. And we know his work is divine. And we
bear this solemn testimony to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
April 6, 1974 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Planning for a Full and Abundant Life
President Spencer W. Kimball
I am happy to be with you here tonight in this priesthood meeting. It
is particular delight to us to see the fathers and their sons coming early
to the Saturday night priesthood meeting--many of them an hour or two
early to be sure of a good seat, and thousands of others, fathers and
sons, hurrying to the Tabernacle and to the numerOus stake and ward
buildings all over the country. This is a delightful extension of our
family life which we celebrate and love and which the world is beginning
to recognize as a basic family pattern--to have fathers and sons together.
We are grateful to have you present, and our appreciation for you is
great and our affection sincere.
First, may we commend you for your devotion and faithfulness. The
temples are generally full. The chapels are filling, and there is an
increase in attendance and devotion. The families holding home evening are
increasing, and we are happy with the display of faith and love which is
manifested throughout the Church. We are particularly happy with the
growth in numbers and effective activity in the stakes and missions
overseas. It is a world Church; we believe we are getting nearer and
nearer the universal church standing.
Now, brethren, may I announce to you some matters which I discussed
with other leaders on Thursday. The First Presidency and the Council of
the Twelve have approved the organization of an elders quorum in every
ward and independent branch. The elders, regardless of number, up to 96,
residing in a particular ward or independent branch, may be constituted as
an elders quorum, with a presidency. Where there are more than 96 elders,
the quorum should be divided. It is felt by the Brethren that this great
reservoir of power and strength can best be used to its greatest value to
have strong, active quorums of elders in the more local jurisdictions.
Another priesthood item: Effective immediately, stake presidents may
ordain seventies and set apart presidents of seventy in their stakes when
such men have been properly processed and approved by the First Council of
the Seventy. This should eliminate many long delays and create a good
working relationship between the stake leaders and their seventies and we
hope that new emphasis may come to missionary work.
Brethren in leadership, you could save many. many letters if you
would read your handbook and bulletins. May we call your attention
especially to the matter of temple interviews. And will you urge your
people to take their problems to their bishops.
We commend you men for your steadfastness in training your sons. We
love you all. We prize your faith; we glory in your growth and worthiness.
Many of you older sons have filled your missions, but numerous of you
younger ones are still prospective missionaries.
To be sure your life will be full and abundant, you must plan your
life. [p. 87] What you plan now when you are deacons can assure you an
abundant life. Have you already been saving money dedicated to your
missions?
You may not yet have chosen your business or profession or life's
work, but there are many generalities which you can already set up in your
lives, even though you may not yet know whether you will be a lawyer or a
doctor or a teacher or an engineer. There are decisions you should already
have made or now be making. What are you going to do in the years between
now and your marriage? And what will you do about your marriage?
You can determine now that you will be the most faithful deacon and
teacher and priest. You can decide that now with an irrevocable covenant.
You can be a good student; you can use your time properly and efficiently.
All the balance of your life you can be happy if you use your time well.
You can makeup your mind this early that you will fill an honorable
mission when you reach mission age, and to that end that you will now earn
money and save it and invest it for your mission, that you will study and
serve and use every opportunity to properly prepare your mind and heart
and soul for that glorious period of your life.
The question has been often asked, Is the mission program one of
compulsion? And the answer, of course, is no. Everyone is given his free
agency. The question is asked: Should every young man fill a mission? And
the answer of the Church is yes, and the answer of the Lord is yes.
Enlarging this answer we say: Certainly every male member of the Church
should fill a mission, like he should pay his tithing like he should
attend his meetings, like he should keep his life clean and free from the
ugliness of the world and plan a celestial marriage in the temple of the
Lord.
While theme is no compulsion for him to do any of these things, he
should do them for his own good. We have often sung:
"Know this, that every soul is free
To choose his life and what he'll be.
For this eternal truth is given
That God will force no man to heav'n.
"He'll call, persuade, direct aright,
And bless with wisdom, love, and light,
In nameless ways be good and kind,
But never force the human mind."
--LDS Hymns no. 90
There is no compulsion in any part of the gospel. The Lord said in
1833, "Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of
man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto
them, and they receive not the light." (D&C 93:31.)
This means that since Adam the Lord has taught us correct doctrines
and we may accept or reject them, but the responsibility is ours. It means
that, having the Holy Ghost which we received at baptism time, we all know
good from evil. The conscience whispers to us what is right and what is
wrong. We cannot blame others or circumstances. We know what is right.
Every person has his free agency. He may steal or curse or drink; he
may defile himself with pornographic material: he may lazy away his life,
fail to do his duty, commit sexual sins, or even take life. There is no
force, but he must know that sin brings its proper punishment, sooner or
later and in total, so that one is stupid indeed to choose to do the wrong
things.
Every person can fail to attend his meetings fail to pay his tithing,
fail to fill a mission, ignore his temple obligations and privileges, but
if he is smart, he must know that he is the deprived one.
Again the Lord answers the question: "And that every man should take
righteousness in his hands and faithfulness upon his loins, and lift a
warning voice unto the inhabitants of the earth: and declare both by word
and by flight that desolation shall come upon the wicked." (D&C 63:37.)
Did you note that he said "every man," and every boy that is becoming a
man? Of course, we do not send young men steeped in uncleanness and sexual
or other sins. Certainly such an one would need to be cleansed by deep
repentance before he could be considered. And so we repeat it: Every LDS
male who is worthy and able should fill a mission.
Then in order to have a full and abundant life that is clean and
open, every lad needs to plan his course, and covenant with himself and
his Heavenly Father what his life will be and what he will do to glorify
it.
Someone has given us this thought on time (I shall read it):
"And in my dreams I came to a beautiful building, somehow like a
bank, and yet not a bank because the brass marker said, `Time for Sale.'
"I saw a man, breathless and pale, painfully pull himself up the
stairs like a sick man. I heard hint say: `The doctor told me I was five
years too late in going to see him. I will buy those five years now and
then he can save my life.'
"Then came another man; also who said to the clerk: `When it was too
late. I discovered that God had given me great capacities and endowments,
and I failed to develop them. Sell me ten years so that I can be the man I
would have been.'
"Then came a younger man to say: `The company has told me that
starting next month I can have a big job if I am prepared to take it. But
I am not prepared. Give me two years of time so that I will be prepared to
take the job next month.'
"So they came, ill, hopeless, despondent, worried, unhappy--and they
left smiling, each man with a look of unutterable pleasure on his face,
for he had what he so desperately needed and wanted time.
"Then I awakened, glad that I had [p. 88] what these men had not, and
what they could never buy--time. Time to do so many things I wanted to do,
that I must do. If that morning I whistled at my work, it was because a
great happiness filled my heart. For I still had time, if I used it well."
(Author unknown.)
Let me tell you of one of the goals that I made when I was still but
a lad. When I heard a Church leader from Salt Lake City tell us at
conference that we should read the scriptures, and I recognized that I had
never read the Bible, that very night at the conclusion of that very
sermon I walked to my home a block away and climbed up in my little attic
room in the top of the house and lighted a little coal-oil lamp that was
on the little table, and I read the first chapters of Genesis. A year
later I closed the Bible, having read every chapter in that big and
glorious book.
I found that this Bible that I was reading had in it 66 books, and
then I was nearly dissuaded when I found that it had in it, 1,189
chapters, and then I also found that it had 1,519 pages. It was
formidable, but I knew if others did it that I could do it.
I found that there were certain parts that were hard for a
14-year-old boy to understand. There were some pages that were not
especially interesting to me, but when I had read the 66 books and 1,189
chapters and 1,519 pages, I had a glowing satisfaction that I had made a
goal and that I had achieved it.
Now I am not telling you this story to boast; I am merely using this
as an example to say that if I could do it by coal-oil light, you can do
it by electric light. I have always been glad I read the Bible from cover
to cover.
May I tell you another goal that I set when I was still a youngster.
I had heard all of my life about the Word of Wisdom and the blessings
that could come into my life through living it. I had seen people chewing
tobacco, and it was repulsive to me. I had seen men waste much time in
"rolling their own" cigarettes. They would buy a sack of "Bull Durham"
tobacco or some other brand and then some papers, and then they would stop
numerous times in a day to fill the paper with tobacco and then roll it
and then bend over the little end of it and then smoke it. It seemed
foolish to me and seemed such a waste of time and energy. Later when the
practice became more sophisticated, they bought their cigarettes
readymade. I remember how repulsive it was to me when women began to
smoke.
I remember as a boy going to the Fourth of July celebration on the
streets of my little town and seeing some of the men as they took part in
the horse racing as participator or as gambler, betting on the horses, and
I noted that many of them had cigarettes in their lips and bottles in
their pockets and some were ugly drunk and with their bleary eyes and
coarse talk and cursing.
It took a little time to match the ponies and arrange the races, and
almost invariably during this time there would be someone call out,
"Fight! Fight!" and all the men and boys would gravitate to the fight area
which was attended with blows and blood and curses and hatreds.
Again I was nauseated to think that men would so disgrace themselves,
and again I made up my mind that while I would drink the pink lemonade on
the Fourth of July and watch the horses run, that I never would drink
liquor or swear or curse as did many of these fellows of this little town.
And I remember that without being pressured by anyone, I made up my
mind while still a little boy that I would never break the Word of Wisdom.
I knew where it was written and I knew in a general way what the Lord had
said, and I knew that when the Lord said it, it was pleasing unto him for
men to abstain from all these destructive elements and that the thing I
wanted to do was to please my Heavenly Father. And so I made up my mind
firmly and solidly that I would never touch those harmful things. Having
made up my mind fully and unequivocably, I found it not too difficult to
keep the promise to myself and to my Heavenly Father.
I remember once in later years when I was district governor of the
Rotary Clubs of Arizona that I went to Nice, France, to the international
convention. As a part of that celebration there was a sumptuous banquet
for the district governors, and the large building was set for an elegant
meal. When we came to our places, I noted that at every place there were
seven goblets, along with numerous items of silverware and dishes; and
everything was the best that Europe could furnish.
As the meal got underway, an army of waiters came to wait on us,
seven waiters at each place, and they poured wine and liquor. Seven glass
goblets were filled at every plate. The drinks were colorful. I was a long
way from home; I knew many of the district governors; they knew me. But
they probably did not know my religion nor [p. 89] of my stand on the Word
of Wisdom. At any rate, the evil one seemed to whisper to me, "This is
your chance. You are thousands of miles from home. There is no one here to
watch you. No one will ever know if you drink the contents of those
goblets. This is your chance!" And then a sweeter spirit seemed to
whisper, "You have a covenant with yourself; you promised yourself you
would never do it; and with your Heavenly Father you made a covenant and
you have gone these years without breaking it, and you would be stupid to
break this covenant after all these years." Suffice it to say that when I
got up from the table an hour later, the seven goblets were still full of
colorful material that had been poured into them but never touched an hour
earlier.
Again, my young brethren, in my boyhood I remember one time when the
sheriff startled us when he came and announced that under the floorboards
of the porch of the home just up the street from where we lived they had
found a considerable cache of stolen articles. The young man who lived in
that home was termed a kleptomaniac. He seemed to have a mania for
stealing things, even items he had no use for himself. Numerous people in
the town had been reporting that their buggy whips and their buggy robes
were taken. Here they were under the porch, and this boy finally admitted
to having stolen them. I remember how shocked we fellows were--how we
pitied him because he had developed this terrible weakness!
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Every man takes care that his neighbor
shall not cheat him. But a day comes when he begins to care that he [does]
not cheat his neighbor. Then all goes well. He has changed his market-cart
into a chariot of the sun." (The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson,
New York: Wm. H. Wise and Co., 1929, p. 585.)
This boy did not know how our acts follow us and how that which we
sow we are sure to reap. And every experience we have adds to or draws
from our lives. We cannot think ugly thoughts or do ugly things without
retribution.
Recently in a paper was an account of a girl who found a very large
check in excess of two million dollars. She immediately began, spending it
in her own mind, she said. But finally she returned the check to its
owner, and the newspaper account revealed the reward was very much smaller
than her ,dreams. Why should she want a reward for doing right? Why should
she be disappointed in the amount offered? Must people be rewarded for
doing right? Would you expect a reward if you returned a lost article? All
of you boys are learning or have learned the Thirteenth Article of Faith:
"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in
doing good to all men.
I wish to say a few words about shoplifting, but time will not
permit. It is a terrible disgrace that in our communities firms must set
aside a rather distressing percentage of their profits to take care of the
shoplifting. It is a horrible thing that in a Latter-day Saint community,
where part of us at least are Latter-day Saints, this should be the case.
Now I would like to conclude with one other little experience I was
down in Toquepaia, Peru. We were dedicating a chapel. Many of the men who
were employed in that mining town were Americans. After the dedication.
they had a dinner at one of the homes. As we moved around in the home, a
young boy came to me and said, "Brother Kimball, I'm thinking about a
mission. Would you give me a blessing?"
I said, "Why, of course. I'd be very happy to give you a blessing,
but isn't that your father I met in the other room?"
He said, "Yes, that's Dad."
I said, "Well, why don't you ask him to give you your blessing?"
"Oh," he said, "Dad wouldn't want to give a blessing to me.
So I excused myself. In time I ran into the father, and I said, "You
have a wonderful boy there. I think he would like to have a blessing from
his father. Wouldn't you like to give him a blessing?"
He said, "Oh, I don't think my boy would want me to give him a
blessing."
But as I mingled among these people and saw the father and the son a
little later, close together, I could understand that they had come
together in their thoughts and that the boy was proud to have his father
bless him, and the father was delighted to be asked.
I hope you boys in this audience will keep that in mind. You have the
best dad in the world, you know. He holds the priesthood; he would be
delighted to give you a blessing. He would like you to indicate it, and we
would like you fathers to remember that your boys are a little timid
maybe. They know you are the best men in the world, but probably if you
just made the advance, there would be some glorious moments for you.
Brethren, it is wonderful to be with you here tonight. And may peace
be with you, and as has been said so many times in these days, only
righteousness pays dividends. God bless you, and I bear my testimony to
you boys, to you men, that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ. It is a
great program of salvation and exaltation, and it is the only way, and
there never was found happiness in unrighteousness I bear my testimony to
you in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
April 7, 1974 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Cause Is Just and Worthy
President Spencer W. Kimball
Now, beloved brethren and sisters, we come to the close of this
glorious conference. We have heard from most of the Brethren. Their
sermons and testimonies have been deep-rooted and sincere and stimulating.
They have been inspired and have spoken to you the word of the Lord.
As you return to your homes and your businesses and your professions
and your spiritual jurisdictions, we hope that you have stored up much
that will be of value to you and your families. The ways of doing the work
are important indeed, but the purpose for doing it is of the greatest
consequence.
We have a commitment to serve our Lord. We have an assUrance that the
cause is just and worthy. But, above all, we have a knowledge that God
lives and is in his heavens and that his Son Jesus Christ has laid out a
plan for us which will bring us and our loved ones eternal life if we are
faithful. That life will be a busy, purposeful life with accomplishments
and joys and development.
If you can think of the greatest real joys that have ever come to you
in this life, then think of the next life as a projection of this one with
all the purposeful things multiplied, enlarged, and even more desirable.
All in these associations of our lives here have brought to you
development and joy and growth and happiness. Now when life ends, we shall
return to a situation patterned after our life here, only less limited,
more glorious, more increased joys.
"Anyone can build an altar," said John Henry Jowett; "it requires a
God to produce the flame. Anyone can build a house,' we need the Lord [and
parents] for the creation of a home."(John Henry Jowett, "God in the
Home," in A Treasury of Inspiration, Ralph L. Woods, ed., New York: Thomas
Y. Crowell Co., 1951, p. 260.)
In this conference you have heard much about this basic program of
the Church, to make the homes really function, to bring inspiration and
revelation [p. 119] to their families. Those who make their conclusions
entirely according to their own ingenuity, their own brains, could make
some very terrible and costly mistakes.
Someone said, "Many people are willing to plod along for 16 to 20
years, from grade one to a Ph.D., to learn medicine or engineering or
psychology or mathematics or sociology or biology --to study, research,
attend classes, pay tuitions, accept help from teachers and
professors--and yet to learn about God, the maker of all, the author of it
all, in a few intermittent prayers and some very limited hours of
research, they feel they can find the truths about God."
That's why the Lord strictly sent us to the scriptures and prayer.
"Search the scriptures," he said; "for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39.) And then he
said, ". . . O, fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets
have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter
into his glory?" (Luke 24:25-26.)
Paul, in his impressive way as he spoke to the Corinthians, said,
"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech
or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
"For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ,
and him crucified.
"And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the
power of God.
"Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the
wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to
nought.
"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit
of God." (1 Cor. 2:1-6, 11.)
"Now," he says, "we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the spirit which, is of God; that we might know the things that are freely
given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:12-14.)
"But there is a spirit in man": said Job, "and the inspiration of the
Almighty giveth them understanding." (Job 32:8.)
"Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus,
saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly,
saying, Truly this was the Son of God." (Matt. 27:54.)
At one time two men sat in a railway car discussing Christ's
wonderful life. One of them said, "I think an interesting romance could be
written about him [Jesus Christ]."
And the other replied, "And you are just the man to write it. Set
forth the correct view of his life and character. Tear down the prevailing
sentiment as to his divineness and paint him as he was--a man among men."
The suggestion was acted on and the romance was written. The man who
made the suggestion was Colonel Ingersoll, the author was General Lew
Wallace, and the book was Ben Hur.
In the process of constructing it, he found himself facing an
unaccountable man. The more he studied his life and character, the more
profoundly he was convinced that he was more than a man among men, until
at length, like the centurion under the cross, he was constrained to cry,
"Verily this was the Son of God."
The Lord has revealed to men by dreams something more than I ever
understood or felt before. I heard this more than once in quorum meetings
of the Council of the Twelve when George F. Richards was president. He was
the venerable father of Brother LeGrand Richards who has just spoken to
us. He said, "I believe in dreams, brethren. The Lord has given me dreams
which to me are just as real and as much from God as was the dream of King
Nebuchadnezzar, which was the means of saving a nation from starvation, or
the dream of Lehi who through a dream led his colony out of the old
country across the mighty deep to this promised land, or any other dreams
that we might read in the scriptures.
"It is not out of place for us to have important dreams," he said.
"And then more than 40 years ago I had a dream which I am sure was from
the Lord. In this dream I was in the presence of my Savior as he stood
mid-air. He spoke no word to me, but my love for him was such that I have
not words to explain. I know that no mortal man can love the Lord as I
experienced that love for the Savior unless God reveals it to him. I would
have remained in his presence, but there was a power drawing me away from
him.
"As a result of that dream, I had this feeling that no matter what
might be required of my hands, what the gospel might entail unto me, I
would do what I should be asked to do even to the laying down of my life.
"And so when we read In the scriptures what the Savior said to his
disciples. `In my Father's house are many mansions: . . . I go to prepare
a place for you . . . that where I am, there ye may be also.' (John
14:2-3.) I think that is where I want to be.
"If only I can be with my Savior and have that same sense of love
that I had in that dream, it will be the goal of my existence, the desire
of my life."
Elder George Q. Cannon, who was in the presidency of the Church at
one time, said this: "I know that God lives. I know that Jesus lives; for
I have seen Him. I know that this is the Church of God, and that it is
founded on Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. I testify to you of these things as
one who knows--as one of the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ that can
bear witness to you today in the presence of the Lord that He lives and
that He will live, and will come to reign on the earth, to sway an
undisputed sceptre." (Delivered in the October 1896 General Conference and
reported in The Deseret Weekly, October 31, 1896, vol. 53 p. 610.)
Brethren and sisters, we come now to the close of this great
conference. You have heard from most of the Brethren, as I have said and
their testimonies have been inspiring. What they have told you is true. It
has come from their hearts. They have this same testimony, and they know
it is true. They are true servants sent to you from our Heavenly Father. I
pray that you will be listening, that you will be remembering, that you
will take these many truths with you to your homes and in your lives and
to your families.
Brethren and sisters, I want to add to these testimonies of these
prophets my testimony that 1 know that He lives. And I know that we may
see him, and that we may be with him, and that we may enjoy his presence
always if we will live the commandments of the Lord and do the things
which we have been commanded by him to do and reminded by the Brethren to
do.
And so I leave this testimony with you. In the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Amen.
October 4, 1974 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
God will not be mocked
President Spencer W. Kimball
My brothers and sisters and friends, how happy we are to see you here
at this conference, the leaders and the members. We hope that you will be
inspired by proceedings of this conference.
In press conferences which we attend, we are frequently asked: "Well,
what is the condition of the Church?" We answer, "The Church is well and
growing and is strong and healthy. Thank you."
As we approach the conference, we have 661 stakes. There were but 148
when I came to the headquarters of the church in 1943. There were no
stakes abroad, and we were to wait for many years before the Church began
to cross the oceans and the great land masses. Already--since President
Romney organized the Auckland, New Zealand, Stake in May 1958 there are 86
stakes overseas. We now have 112 missions, plus the 661 stake missions,
and we now have approximately 18,000 missionaries, whereas in 1943 there
was a very small group relatively. We are happy with the growth, which is
consistent and continues to be stable.
And when we are asked why we are such a happy people, our answer is:
"Because we have everything--life with all its opportunities, death
without fear, eternal life with endless growth and development."
With 3.3 million members of many races and numerous lands in the
north, the south, east, and west, we will soon close another year of
development and growth.
The people are attending their meetings and looking after their
personal responsibilities. The temples are increasing in numbers, and the
work at the temples indicates great spirituality. The educational program
is pleasing, with the university and colleges, the institutes and
seminaries, and the ecclesiastical organizations of the Church all
teaching. And knowledge is expanding and testimonies are deepening.
The construction program continues to expand throughout the land so
that whereas many church buildings throughout the world are turned into
bars or are boarded up and abandoned, we are building almost daily new
chapels throughout the world, and they are filled with happy, faithful
people.
We are not satisfied or boastful, but keep in mind constantly what
the Savior has said to us:
"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
(John 8:31-32.)
We must remember the Lord's great prayer:
"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that
thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."(John 17:15-17.)
Now brothers and sisters, we have launched a cleanup campaign. We are
a throw-away people. Trash piles grow faster than population by far. Now
we ask you to clean up your homes and your farms. "Man is keeper of the
land, and not its possessor."
Broken fences should be mended or removed. Unused barns should be
repaired, roofed, painted, or removed. Sheds and corrals should be
repaired and painted, or removed. Weedy ditch banks should be cleared.
Abandoned homes could probably be razed. We look forward to the day when,
in all of our communities, urban and rural, there would be a universal,
continued movement to clean and repair and paint barns and sheds, build
sidewalks, clean ditch banks, and make our properties a thing of beauty to
behold.
We have asked leaders of youth groups, auxiliary organizations, and
priesthood quorums to give power to this concentrated action for
beautification.
The Lord said:
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof."(Ps. 24:1.)
"And I the Lord God, took the man (Adam), and put him into the Garden
of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it." (Moses 3:15.)
Therefore, we urged each of you to dress and keep in a beautiful
state the property that is in your hands.
Again we are approaching an election. This is most important to us.
We urge you to study the platforms and acquaint yourself with the
candidates. Then pray to the Lord for guidance, and go to the polls and
vote.
We warn you against the so-called polygamy cults which would lead you
astray. Remember the Lord brought an end to this program many decades ago
through a prophet who proclaimed the revelation to the world. People are
abroad who will deceive you and bring you much sorrow and remorse. Have
nothing to do with those who would lead you astray. It is wrong and sinful
to ignore the Lord when he speaks. He has spoken strongly and
conclusively.
We urge you to teach your children honor and integrity and honesty.
Is it possible that some of our children do not know how sinful it is to
steal? It is unbelievable the extent of vandalism, thievery, robbery,
stealing. Protect your family against it by proper teaching.
Brothers and sisters, we teach all of our people to be loyal. "We
believe in being subject to kings , presidents, rulers, and magistrates,
in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law." (Twelfth Article of Faith.)
Be loyal and true.
Perhaps one of the most distinguishing features of the Church is the
fact that its people abstain from liquor, tea, coffee, and tobacco. Of
course, there are some who apparently have not the courage nor the
testimony to follow this program, but numerous thousands observe it
strictly.
One of the many revelations of God through a living prophet was the
89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, giving what is known as the
Word of Wisdom. For 141 years now we have been practicing this great truth
embodied in that revelation that we would abstain from wine and strong
drinks, that tea and coffee are not for the body, and that we should not
use tobacco in any form, that it is good only for bruises and all sick
cattle. (See D&C 89:8.)
We noted recently of a community [p. 6] in Minnesota which set up a
"D-Day" in which, through all their agencies, they persuaded people to
give up smoking. In their January 7 "D-Day," they reported 271 smokers who
gave up that habit. We commend such an awake community and its leaders.
Now after all these years, we find that many of the medical
profession and others agree that numerous diseases are the result of the
use of these things. I remember standing by a hospital bed of a good
friend of mine, and I watched him die of cancer. His physician said it was
caused by the use of tobacco. I have helped bury people who have been
killed by the demon alcohol, and many other innocent people died because
someone was driving who had been drinking.
The use of liquor has brought much sorrow, pain, suffering, death to
innocent bystanders. Some social drinkers claim they will never become
alcoholic, but how sure can they be?
Those who break the Word of Wisdom have strange and spurious excuses
for the using of these obnoxious things. How can anyone ignore the
revelation given through a living prophet? The Lord reiterated it through
another prophet and made it a definite commandment.
We deplore the practice of many business and professional firms and
others who serve liquor as a part of the entertainment in their special
parties. We are especially concerned that at Christmas time many celebrate
this holy birth of Jesus Christ our Lord with a so-called social hour
which surely must be an affront to him. Is it not a sad reflection upon
people to have to drink to have a good time, or to take a stimulant to
give them energy or self-assurance?
Certainly numerous young people have been damaged or destroyed by the
use of marijuana and other deadly drugs. We deplore such.
We call attention also to the habit in which many buy their
commodities on the Sabbath. Many employed people would be released for
rest and worship on the Sabbath if we did not shop on that day. Numerous
excuses and rationalizations are presented to justify the Sunday buying.
We call upon all of you to keep the Sabbath holy and make no Sunday
purchases.
We hope faithful Latter-day Saints will not use the playing cards
which are used for gambling, either with or without the gambling. As for
the gambling, in connection with horse racing or games or sports, we
firmly discourage such things.
In the welfare meeting tomorrow morning much will be said regarding
that program. We regret that there are so many people shifting the
responsibilities of parents to institutions.
Some have become casual about keeping a year's supply of commodities.
We hope that there may be sufficient funds and commodities in the Church
program to take care of the people for their emergency necessities, and we
urge the people to do something constructive by way of reciprocating for
that which they receive. We urge our bishops to be wise in their providing
help, neither stingy nor overgenerous, and that the people who need the
temporary assistance will be honest and fair and wise.
Should evil times come, many might wish they had filled all their
fruit bottles and cultivated a garden in their backyards and planted a few
fruit trees and berry bushes and provided for their own commodity needs.
The Lord planned that we would be independent of every creature, but we
note even many farmers buy their milk from dairies and home owners buy
their garden vegetables from the store. And should the trucks fail to fill
the shelves of the stores, many would go hungry.
We believe in work. We remember the fourth of the Ten Commandments
says, "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work" (Exodus 20:9), and
we are not sure that the rapidly decreasing work week is beneficial to
mankind. We think the Lord knew what he was talking about. It would seem
that we are play-conscious, travel-conscious and our economy seems to be
providing for the traveling public and the gaming public and the drinking
public.
We are also concerned with the great waste from our homes and stores
and restaurants and otherwise. After the usual banquet, enough is carried
out in the garbage to feed numerous mouths that have been drooling for a
bite to eat in less-favored countries. Many are starving, and we throw
away much and waste much.
We have always encouraged the members to own their own homes. We [p.
7] seem to see a different brand of stability among those who own their
homes. Analysts claim that hard times could come again. And we wonder what
our people will do who have been spending their all and more. If
employment and income should reduce, what then? Are you living beyond your
means? Do you owe what you cannot pay if times became perilous? Are your
shock absorbers in condition to take a shock?
Food costs are high, we know, but how much better off you are than if
your employment were to terminate or incomes be greatly reduced.
When we go to places of entertainment and mingle among people, we are
shocked at the blasphemy that seems to be acceptable among them. The
commandment says, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain." (Exodus 20:7.) Except in prayers and proper sermons we must not use
the name of the Lord. Blasphemy used to be a crime punishable by heavy
fines. Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself
forcibly.
We hope that our parents and leaders will not tolerate pornography.
It is really garbage, but today is peddled as normal and satisfactory
food. Many writers seem to take delight in polluting the atmosphere with
it. Seemingly, it cannot be stopped by legislation. There is a link
between pornography and the low, sexual drives and perversion. We live in
a culture which venerates the orgasm, streaking, trading wives, and
similar crazes. How low can humans plunge! We pray with our Lord that we
may be kept from being in the world. It is sad that decent people are
thrown into a filthy area of mental and spiritual pollution. We call upon
all of our people to do all in their power to offset this ugly revolution.
It is ridiculous to imply that pornography has no effect. There is a
definite relationship to crime. Murder, robbery, rape, prostitution, and
commercialized vice are fed on this immorality. Sex statistics seem to
reflect a relationship between crime and pornography. It is utterly
without redeeming social value. We urge our families to protect their
children in every way possible. We live in a permissive world, but we must
make certain we do not become a part of that permissive world, that
degenerate world. We are shocked at the depths to which many people of
this world go to assert their freedom. We fear that the trends of
permissiveness toward immorality are destroying the moral fabric of our
generation.
Governor Reagan of California stated: "In our humanitarian society we
have safeguarded the rights of the accused. Nothing horrifies us so much
as the possibility of punishing the non-guilty. But now we have carried
this to an excessive concern for the guilty. We do not call him a
criminal. He is a patient. He may be ill, but a failure of society; and
since society cannot be tried for its crime, why should he take the
blame?"
We seem to shrink away from punishing of criminals or the
disciplining even of children. Crime in the United States is said to be
increasing nearly nine times as fast as the population. One-third of our
firstborn children in the United States in two tabulated years were said
to be conceived out of wedlock. In one year there were an estimated
400,000 illegitimate births in the United States; and many other countries
have like records. About half of the female dropouts from high school were
pregnant. The ugly estimates continue: More than a million American women
each year resort to illegitimate abortions. This is one of the most
despicable of all sins- to destroy an unborn child to save one from
embarrassment or to save one's face or comfort. An estimated 8,000 women
die every year from such consequences. It is reported that suicide is said
to be the number one cause of death among the U.S. college students.
One popular writer said: "Jesus Christ is not making a universal
appeal today because of His moral austerity. Right down the line Christ
gives offense by His moral austerity." He rebukes our acquisitive society.
He rebukes our comfort-loving, take-it-easy philosophy. He rebukes our
moral laxity. He rebukes our reliance on force and our rejection of love
and of the royal way of life. Ours is a comfort-loving society. We equate
comfort with civilization. Thanks to our Heavenly Father and his Son that
the program is austere.
Paul identified it:
"Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled
and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is
defiled.
"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus
1:15-16.)
The home is the teaching situation. Every father should talk to his
son, every mother to her daughter. Then it would leave them totally
without excuse should they ignore the counsel they have received.
The number of parents who go astray astounds us. The numbers of
divorces that were the result, in whole or part, of the infidelity bring
us back to our basic theme as quoted in the Doctrine and Covenants:
"Thou shalt not ... commit adultery, ... nor do anything like unto
it." (D&C 59:6.)
We say to all: Stay clean in mind and body, and let nothing lead you
into the bypaths which will bring ruin and great distress to you. As the
Lord said:
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery:
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after
her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matt.
5:27-28.)
Now the lust of the heart and the lust of the eyes and the lust of
the body bring us to the major sin. Let every man remain at home with his
affection. Let every woman sustain her husband and keep her heart where it
belongs--at home with her family. Let every youth keep himself from the
compromising [p. 8] approaches and then with great control save himself
from the degrading and life-damaging experience of sexual impurity. There
must be an early and total and continuing repentance.
Every form of homosexuality is sin. Pornography is one of the
approaches to that transgression. There is no halfway.
Some people are ignorant or vicious and apparently attempting to
destroy the concept of masculinity and femininity. More and more girls
dress, groom, and act like men. More and more men dress, groom, and act
like women. The high purposes of life are damaged and destroyed by the
growing unisex theory. God made man in his own image, male and female made
he them. With relatively few accidents of nature, we are born male or
female. The Lord knew best. Certainly, men and women who would change
their sex status will answer to their Maker.
We hope this is another trumpet call. President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.,
said: "Our very civilization itself is based upon chastity, the sanctity
of marriage, and the holiness of the home. Destroy these and Christian man
becomes a brute." (Conference Report, Oct. 1938, p. 137.)
Beloved brothers and sisters, you are facing a trial of your faith.
Will you listen to your leaders?
Not all sins of this permissive world are with the youth. I was
shocked recently when I read a movie magazine. The man spoke of marriage
as a legalistic, paper-signing institution, and said: "It should be
abolished. Without the social pressures in the state, it could be utopia."
He asked the woman. She said: "Marriage should be done away with. I
already know people who are living quietly together without marriage, but
I haven't yet seen the effect of this on children as they grow up in such
a society."
These are not the only ones who are advocating living together
without marriage. We call this to the attention of our people with all the
strength we possess.
We say again: We members of the Church marry. All normal people
should marry. (There could be a few exceptions.) All normal married
couples should become parents. We remember the scripture which says:
"Whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is
ordained of God unto man.
"Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain
shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of
its creation." (D&C 49:15-16.)
The earth cannot justify nor continue its life without marriage and
the family. Sex without marriage, for all people, young or older, is an
abomination to the Lord, and it is most unfortunate that many people have
blinded their eyes to these great truths.
We have discoursed many times about these worldly and pernicious
things. May we quickly and firmly mention other things which we must avoid
if we hope for the Lord to bless us.
Husbands and wives should love and cherish their spouses. They must
not break up their homes with divorce, and especially through infidelity
and immorality.
A higher and higher percentage of children grow up with only one
parent. This is certainly not the way of the Lord. He expected for a
father and a mother to rear their children. Certainly any who deprive
their children of a parent will have some very stiff questions to answer.
The Lord used parents in the plural and said if children were not properly
trained "the sin be upon the heads of the parents." (D&C 68:25.) That
makes it a bit hard to justify broken homes. Numerous of the divorces are
the result of selfishness. The day of judgment is approaching, and parents
who abandon their families will find that excuses and rationalizations
will hardly satisfy the Great Judge.
May we repeat: Sex perversions of men and women can never replenish
the earth and are definitely sin without excuse, and rationalizations are
very [p. 9] weak; God will not tolerate it.
As to abortions, we deplore the reported million unborn children who
will lose their lives in this country this year. Certainly the women who
yield to this ugly sin and the sin which often generated it, and those who
assist them, should remember that retribution is sure. It is sure.
We marry for eternity. We are serious about this. We become parents
and bring wanted children into the world and rear and train them to
righteousness.
We are aghast at the reports of young people going to surgery to
limit their families and the reputed number of parents who encourage this
vasectomy. Remember that the coming of the Lord approaches, and some
difficult-to-answer questions will be asked by a divine Judge who will be
hard to satisfy with silly explanations and rationalizations. He will
judge justly, you may be sure.
Why do we take our destiny in our own hands? From the building of the
first colonial cabin, the home and family have been the center of true
civilization. Any distortion of the God-given program will bring dire
consequences. The families worked together, played together, and worshiped
God together.
Could it be possible that many of us, like a cork in a stream, have
been swept off our destiny line by false concepts, perilous ways, and
doctrines of devils? By whom are we enticed? Have we accepted the easy way
and veered off from the "strait and narrow" way to the easy and
comfortable way and the broad way which leads to sorrowful ends? (See
Matt. 7:13-14.) We know better than we do. Will you listen? Will you
follow the advice and counsel of your leaders, local and general? Or will
you choose your own paths though they lead you into the dark wilderness?
God bless you, our beloved people. Listen to the words of heaven. God
is true. He is just. He is a righteous judge, but justice must come before
sympathy and forgiveness and mercy.
Remember, God is in his heavens. He knew what he was doing when he
organized the earth. He knows what he is doing now. Those of us who break
his commandments will regret and suffer in remorse and pain. God will not
be mocked. Man has his free agency, it is sure, but remember, GOD WILL NOT
BE MOCKED. (See D&C 63:58.)
Our counsel then to you is to live strictly the laws of your Heavenly
Father. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 5, 1974 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Davids and the Goliaths
President Spencer W. Kimball
My brethren, it is wonderful to be with you here tonight, with an
estimated 195,000 of us. And we pay tribute to you and express our
affection for you.
Long years ago when I was in the stake presidency in the St. Joseph
Stake in Arizona, one Sabbath day I filled an assignment in the Eden Ward.
The building was a small one, and most of the people were sitting close to
us as we sat on the raised platform about a foot and a half above the
floor of the building itself.
As the meeting proceeded, my eye was attracted to seven little boys
on the front seat of the chapel. I was delighted with seven little boys in
this ward conference. I made a mental note, then shifted my interest to
other things. Soon my attention was focused on the seven little boys
again.
It seemed strange to me that each of the seven little fellows raised
his right leg and put it over the left knee, and then in a moment all
would change at the same time and put the left leg over the right knee. I
thought it was unusual, but I just ignored it.
In a moment or two, all in unison would brush their hair with their
right hands, and then all seven little boys leaned lightly on their wrists
and supported their faces by their hands, and then simultaneously they
went back to the crossing of their legs again.
It all seemed so strange, and I wondered about it as I was trying to
think of what I was going to say in the meeting. And then all at once it
came to me like a bolt of lightning. These boys were mimicking me!
That day I learned the lesson of my life--that we who are in
positions of authority must be careful indeed, because others watch us and
find in us their examples.
Example is an important characteristic of a boy's life. Generally
there are many people who will follow and few who will lead. It is
therefore important that all you young men develop the power of leadership
and then all be [p. 80] sure to give good examples.
This will be true in your lives. If you have little brothers,
remember that they watch you and listen to you, and they are likely to do
about what you did and say about what you said.
I hope you will keep this in mind as you come to teenage. Remember
that, generally, if you attend your meetings and if you do your duty, it
is quite likely that your little brothers will follow your course, and the
opposite is also true.
This is also true as to your missionary work. If your little brothers
see you faithful in seminary and institute and that you have the right
attitudes and that you are preparing yourself to fill a mission, their
thoughts will be along the same line.
It was Terence who said: "I bid him look into the lives of men as
though into a mirror, and from others to take an example for himself."
And in Aesop's fables, Aesop said, "Do but set the example yourself,
and I will follow you."
Example is the best precept, and [Samuel] Johnson said that "Example
is more efficacious than precept."
I remind you young men that regardless of your present age, you are
building your life; it will be cheap and shoddy or it will be valuable and
beautiful; it will be full of constructive activities or it can be
destructive; it can be full of joy and happiness or it can be full of
misery. It all depends upon you and your attitudes, for your altitude, or
the height you climb, is dependent upon your attitude or your response to
situations.
Remember that when you climb a mountain in Switzerland or at Banff or
Mount Timpanogos, you travel with people that are interesting and
challenging. They have surmounted the same difficulties that you have
done.
Remember that those who climb to high places did not always have it
easy. We are told that when Abraham Lincoln was a young man, he ran for
the legislature in Illinois and was badly "swamped."
He next entered business, failed, and spent 17 years of his life
paying up the debts of a worthless partner. He fell in love with a
beautiful young woman, to whom he became engaged, then she died. Entering
politics, he ran for congress and was badly defeated. He tried to get an
appointment to the U.S. land office but failed. He became a candidate for
the U.S. Senate and was badly defeated. Then in 1856 he became a candidate
for vice-president and was again defeated. In 1858 he was defeated by
Douglas, but in the face of all this defeat and failure, he eventually
achieved the highest success attainable in life and undying fame to the
end of time. This was the Abraham Lincoln who was president of the United
States. This was the Abraham Lincoln about whom numerous books have been
written. This was the Abraham Lincoln who carved his own success out of
the mountains of difficulty.
Again we repeat that you will make your life what you want it to be.
An anonymous writer says this: "Be glad there are big hurdles in life
and rejoice, too, that they are higher than most people care to surmount.
Be happy they are numerous. It is those hurdles that give you a chance to
work your way to the front of the crowd. They are your friends. For if it
were not for high hurdles, many men might be able to outrun you.
May I tell you a story of long ago, of what one boy made of his early
life.
About 3,000 years ago when the king of Israel was Saul, and he proved
himself unworthy of his high position, the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to
find a successor for him. The prophet went to the home of Jesse, the
father of eight sons. He called Jesse's sons to him to interview them.
When the proud father brought Eliab, the older son, he said to himself
"Surely this is the man."
"But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on
the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth
not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord
looketh on the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7.)
Then the proud father called a second, and he was not accepted. Seven
fine, handsome sons came one after the other before the prophet Samuel,
who said to the father, Jesse, "Are these all thy children?" And then
Jesse admitted, "Yes, except the youngest, David, and he is out with the
sheep." And Samuel said, "Go fetch him." (See 1 Sam. 16:11.)
Now when the youngest son came in, he was ruddy and handsome and a
delightful personality, and perhaps sunburned, for he was the shepherd and
spent much of his time out in the open with the sheep. The Lord inspired
Samuel and he said, "This is he." (1 Sam. 16:12.) And as the father and
the sons gathered around him, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed
David to become the king of Israel.
At this time the Philistines, a bitter enemy of Israel, had come up
to conquer Israel, and they were lined up on [p. 81] one ridge and Israel
was lined up on the other ridge, and a little valley was in between.
As the armies faced each other preliminary to the battle, a great
giant named Goliath came out into the no-man's-land and challenged the
Israelites, saying:
"Why have you come out to battle us? I am a Philistine, and you are
the servants to Saul. Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to
me.
"If he be able to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I
prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and
serve us." (See 1 Sam. 17:8-9.) He added: "I defy the armies of Israel
this day; give me a man, that we may fight together." (1 Sam. 17:10.)
Now this man was a giant; he was fearsome. About nine feet tall, he
stood high above them all; and he had a helmet of brass on his head and a
heavy metal coat of mail. With the strips of brass on his legs and brass
between his shoulders, his coat of mail was very, very heavy. His spear
was long like a weaver's beam, and his sword sharp as a razor. He had a
man to carry his shield.
He was certainly a formidable antagonist. Little wonder that the
warriors on Israel's side feared him. None seemed to have the courage or
the foolhardiness to accept his challenge, so it was quite understandable
that all the Israelite soldiers fell back and trembled.
It happened at this pivotal time that the father, Jesse, was
concerned with the welfare of his three eldest sons who had been inducted
into the army of Saul. Apparently when these sons were defending Israel,
it fell to the lot of David, the youngest, to herd the sheep.
The kindly father called David from the sheep and gave to him a
quantity of parched corn and some loaves and sent him to the army camp to
take these to his brothers, and ten cheeses to the captain.
David arose very early and started his journey to Elah. He made full
arrangements for someone to look after his father's sheep so that they
would not be driven away nor destroyed nor eaten by wild animals.
As David arrived at the scene of battle, the army was just going
forth to the fight and were shouting for the battle.
David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage and
ran to the army and saluted his brethren.
Again the Philistine shouted his challenge, as he had done during 4
days of warfare.
As David came into the ranks, the men said to him, "Have you seen
this giant that defies Israel? Do you realize that the man who kills him
will be enriched by the king? To that man who can kill the great Goliath,
freedom will come to his family. (See 1 Sam. 17:25.)
David was not well received by his eldest brother either, who was
angry with him and said, "Why did you come down here? With whom have you
left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know you were curious and proud
and naughty in your heart, and you have come down out of curiosity to
observe the battle." (See 1 Sam. 17:28.)
David seemed to be disturbed at his brother's denunciation and said,
"Now what have I done? Isn't there a reason why I came?" (See 1 Sam.
17:29.) He knew that inspiration had brought him here for a good purpose
to save Israel.
David's inspiration or revelation was repeated to King Saul, who
called the young man to him, and David said, "Don't let this bully worry
you and bring you fear. I will go and fight this Philistine." (See 1 Sam.
17:32.) But Saul was shocked and said to David:
"[You] art not able to ... fight ... this Philistine ... for you are
but a youth, and he a man of war. ...
"And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and
there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
"And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his
mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote
him, and slew him.
"Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised
Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of
the living God." (1 Sam. 17:33-36.)
He then repeated: "The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the
lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand
of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, go and the Lord be with
thee." (See 1 Sam. 17:37.)
Saul placed the king's armor upon David, but it was so heavy he
couldn't bear it and threw it off.
"I cannot go with these; for I am not used to them," said David. (See
1 Sam. 17:39.)
As he crossed the brook, David, the boy, stooped over and picked out
five small stones and put them in his shepherd's bag; and his sling was in
his hand, and he moved toward the giant Philistine.
The great giant apparently was shocked and angered at such an
affront. He saw this young man, ruddy and of a youthful, fair countenance,
and in his anger and disgust, the Philistine said:
"Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine
cursed David ... and ... said to [him], Come to me, and I will give [your]
flesh ... [to] the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." (1
Sam. 17:43-44.)
Then David rose in his majesty and said to the Philistine:
"[You come] to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield:
but I come to [you] in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the
armies of Israel, whom [you have] defied.
"This day will the Lord deliver [you] into [my] hand; and I will
smite [you], and take [your] head from [you], and I will give the carcases
of the [army] of the Philistines this day [to] the fowls of the air, and
to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is
a God in Israel.
"And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword
and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our
hands." (1 Sam. 17:45-47.)
The Philistine and the shepherd boy approached each other, both with
confidence:
"And David put his hand in his bag, and took out a stone, put it in
his sling, aimed it, and sent it at terrific speed, and smote the
Philistine in his forehead; perhaps the only unprotected spot, and the
stone sunk deep into the forehead of the great, bragging bully who fell
upon his face to the earth." (See 1 Sam. 17:49.)
I wonder how many of you young men have ever owned and used a sling.
When I was a little boy, we made our own slings and we found our own rocks
and we discovered our own targets, and we became quite proficient in
slinging the rocks. We would take a little piece of leather about the size
you would use for a flipper, maybe two inches long and in an elliptical
shape. And at each end a little hole was cut, and then a long thong of
leather was fastened to each end, one of which had a knot in the end
through which we put one finger. Then, with a rock in the sling, we would
throw it around our head until we had great momentum, and then would turn
loose of one of the thongs and the rock would sail toward its destination.
We used to make all our own playthings: our slings, our whistles, our
flippers, our play balls, and we learned to use them well.
"So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a
stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; there was no sword in the
hand of David [but only a sling]." (1 Sam. 17:50.)
All he used was a little pebble and a sling and inspiration and
revelation. He had courage, he had strength, he had faith in himself, but
especially faith in his Heavenly Father, to whom he offered his prayers.
The 40 days of challenge and of egotism and boasting had ended for
this Philistine in death!
Evidently to put fear in the minds of the enemy, David went to the
prone body of his antagonist lying on the ground and cut off his head.
This act seemed to have its desired effect. And the enemy fled, and thus
one inspired boy defeated an entire army. Israel's army pursued the
escaping Philistines and won the battle.
The king inquired as to who the lad was who had performed such a
miraculous feat, and then Jonathan gave him his sword, his bow, and his
girdle. And the scripture says: "And David behaved himself wisely in all
... ways; and the Lord was with him." (1 Sam. 18:14.)
Now, my young brothers, remember that every David has a Goliath to
defeat, and every Goliath can be defeated. He may not be a bully who
fights with fists or sword or gun. He may not even be flesh and blood. He
may not be nine feet tall; he may not be armor-protected, but every boy
has his Goliaths. And every boy has his sling and every boy has access to
the brook with its smooth stones.
You will meet Goliaths who threaten you. Whether your Goliath is a
town bully or is the temptation to steal or to destroy or the temptation
to rob or the desire to curse and swear; if your Goliath is the desire to
wantonly destroy or the temptation to lust and to sin, or the urge to
avoid activity, whatever is your Goliath, he can be slain. But remember,
to be the victor, one must follow the path that David followed:
"David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with
him." (1 Sam. 18:14.)
David had integrity and kept his father's sheep. David did not leave
his sheep without a caretaker when he filled another assignment from his
father.
David was responsible. His sheep were in his hands; he killed the
bear and he killed the lion to save his father's sheep, even at great
danger to himself. He took the little lamb out of the mouth of the beast
and restored it to its mother. David took five stones to kill Goliath. He
needed only one. David was honorable and had faith in his Heavenly Father,
and he feared no man so long as he had the confidence of his Lord. He
taunted the Philistine giant, saying, "You come to me with a sword, and
with a spear, and with a shield with a coat of mail, with an armor bearer:
But I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies
of Israel, whom thou hast defied." (See 1 Sam. 17:45.)
Sometime ago I tore an advertisement from a current magazine. This is
what it said:
"One time or another we all face adversity's chilling wind. One man
flees from it, and like an unresisting kite falls to the ground. Another
yields no retreating inch, and the wind that would destroy him lifts him
as readily to the heights. We are not measured by the trials we meet, only
by those we overcome."
The pipeline ad read, "Neither rivers, mountains nor ocean waters
stop our pipeline crews. What they can't go through, they go over, under,
or around."
One obsession of this Church and all its members is missionary work,
about which you have heard from Brother Tuttle this night. The Lord told
his apostles, as you will see in the beautiful picture over in the Church
Office Building, to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature. (See Matt. 28:19-20.) May we remind you young men again, your
responsibility is to respond to that call. And if you receive a call from
the Lord through your bishop and stake presidency, it is your privilege,
but also [p. 83] your obligation, to fill that calling expertly. And since
you will now establish your goal to fill a mission, remember it costs
money to go to the various parts of the world and preach the gospel.
Remember, then, it is your privilege now to begin to save your money.
Every time money comes into your hands, through gifts or earnings,
set at least a part of it away in a savings account to be used for your
mission. Every boy would like to be independent and furnish his own funds
for his mission, rather than to ask his parents to do that for him. Every
boy in every country in all the world who has been baptized and received
the Holy Ghost will have the responsibility of bearing the message of the
gospel to the people of the world. And this is also your opportunity, and
it will contribute greatly toward your greatness.
I like the lines of Edgar A. Guest, which he has titled "Equipment":
Figure it out for yourself, my lad, You've all that the great of men
have had, Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes And brain to use if you
would be wise. With this equipment they all began, So start for the top
and say, "I can."
Look them over, the wise and great, They take their food from a
common plate, And similar knives and forks they use, With similar laces
they tie their shoes, The world considers them brave and smart, But you've
all they had when they made their start.
You can triumph and come to skill. You can be great if you only will.
You're well equipped for what fight you choose, You have legs and arms and
a brain to use, And the man who has risen great deeds to do Began his life
with no more than you.
You are the handicap you must face, You are the one who must choose
your place, You must say where you want to go, How much you will study the
truth to know. God has equipped you for life but He Lets you decide what
you want to be
Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win. So figure it out for yourself
my lad. You were born with all that the great have had, With your
equipment, they all began Get hold of yourself and say: "I can." Collected
Verse of Edgar A. Guest Chicago: Reilly and Lee, 1934, p. 666.
May I bring to your attention another of the giant Goliaths that may
challenge you and stand in your way. His name this time is pornography or
filthiness. Listen here:
When you tell a filthy story, Do you ever stop to think What
impression you have made upon the crowd? Do you think the boys enjoy it?
Do you think because they laugh That you have sufficient reason to be
proud?
Do you know that you exhibit All that is within your soul, When the
filthy story passes from your tongue? It reveals your own defilement, It
proclaims your ignorance, It disgusts all decent boys who love real fun.
Do you think that you exhibit Any real common sense, When you show
the crowd how rotten is your mind? Do you know that you dishonor Both your
parents and your friends? Think it over, boy, and that is what you'll
find.
Be a little choice in language; Be a little more refined, If respect
of those around you you would win. You will have a great advantage Over
those who are inclined To go through life in filth and slime and sin.
These verses I read when I was a little boy, and they made a deep
impression on me. I hope they will touch your hearts.
When I lived in Arizona as a boy, nearly all the farmers had melon
patches, and some of the farmers raised them for the market. Sometimes
some boys would gang up and in the darkness of the night, go to one of
these melon patches, and with their jackknives go through the patch and
slash all the melons they could reach. They did not want the melons to
eat, merely an ugly, destructive urge to destroy. This I never could
understand, and I could never understand setting fire to things or
breaking windows or tearing rugs or any of the mean tricks that were
destructive in nature.
David would not do such a thing. He killed a lion with his bare
hands, but that was to protect his sheep. He killed a Goliath, but that
was to save Israel. He killed a bear with his bare hands, but again that
was to save his father's flocks.
I hope that if ever in your presence there are fellows with
destructive ideas, that you will help to curb them and dissuade them,
especially from doing those things which bring them no value and only
leave blots upon their characters.
Will you remember the scripture from Mormon:
"Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all
uncleanliness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with
a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will
serve the true and living God." (Morm. 9:28.)
Perhaps these lines from Henry Van Dyke may be of interest to you:
Men have dulled their eyes with sin, And dimmed the light of heaven
with doubt, And built their temple walls to shut thee in, And framed their
iron creeds to shut thee out. Addressed to God of the Open Air
And you, my fine young men must not be just average. Your lives must
be clean and free from all kinds of evil thoughts or acts--no lying, no
theft, no anger, no faithlessness, no failure to do that which is right,
no sexual sins of any kind, at any time.
You know what is right and what is wrong. You have all received the
Holy Ghost following your baptism. You need no one to brand the act or
thought as wrong or right. You know by the Spirit. You are painting your
own picture, carving your own statue. It is up to you to make it
acceptable.
May God bless you, our beloved young men. I know your Heavenly Father
is your true friend. Everything he asks you to do is right and will bring
blessings to you and make you manly and strong. "And David behaved
himself, in all his ways; and the Lord was with him." (1 Sam. 18:14.)
May God bless you, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 6, 1974 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Ocean Currents and Family Influences
President Spencer W. Kimball
I remember vividly my first view of an iceberg. In 1937 Sister
Kimball and I made our first crossing of the Atlantic by steamer from
Montreal, out through the St. Lawrence River and into the North Atlantic.
One day when we were well out into the ocean, there was excitement on
the ship. An iceberg had been sighted. Most of the passengers rushed to
the deck to see this sight. We could see it in the distance--a great white
object against the dark sea and the azure of the sky.
There it floated quietly in the water like a sharp peak of a high
mountain range, a thing of beauty to behold. All my life I had heard about
them, and now, for the first time, it was there before my eyes--a sharp
mountain peak of ice.
This recalled to our minds the tragic sinking of the Titanic,
steamship of the White Star Line, on its maiden trip across the ocean. The
huge iceberg collided with this large, new ship late in the evening, April
14, 1912. Fifteen hundred and three persons, many of them eminent in
Britain and in the United States, were drowned as the ship sank and only
703 were saved.
Then four years ago, flying from England to the United States, we
passed over Greenland and saw them again. Much of our trip we had traveled
above the blanket of clouds, but as we flew over Greenland, the sky was
clear and free of clouds. The sun shone brightly. Seldom does the human
eye ever see such beauty and grandeur. Stretching out in the distance was
the mile-thick blanket of ice over the great, domed island. We saw the
thick glaciers creeping slowly down the valleys to the sea, where they
break off and become icebergs. The fjords were full of floating mountains
of ice drifting on their way to the ocean. Here was the birthplace of
countless such icebergs as we had seen 33 years earlier.
The icebergs spawned by the Greenland ice sheet followed a highly
predictable course. As the silent Labrador Current ceaselessly moves to
the south through Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, it takes with it these
mountainous icebergs, even against the force of the winds and the waves
and the tides. Currents have much more power to control its course than
the surface winds.
And we compared this conflict of the earth's powers with the results
in our own lives when the current of our life, as defined and developed in
the lives of a family by the righteous teaching of parents, will often
control the direction children will go, in spite of the waves and winds of
numerous adverse influences of the world of error.
Out of our view, under the ocean waves, there are forces of
tremendous power with which we must reckon, and there are such powerful
forces in our own lives.
The mighty Mississippi River is a rivulet in comparison with the
great ocean streams. One of the most spectacular of all is said to be the
Labrador Current. The second most powerful is the Gulf Stream, which
carries warm water from the eastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico parallel
to the eastern coast of the United States and across the Atlantic to warm
the shores of Europe. The Gulf Stream carries as much water as a thousand
Mississippi Rivers combined. Though of lesser magnitude, the Labrador
Current year after year carries thousands of icebergs down from their
birthplace in Greenland, faithfully, steadily, until they disintegrate or
melt in the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream. It is at this point, where
the Labrador Current meets the Gulf Stream, that the Titanic met her fate.
It is true of us, as of icebergs, that our course is, in important
measure, determined by forces we only partly perceive. It is true also,
however, that we are more like ships than icebergs. We have our own motive
power, and if we are aware of the currents, we can take advantage of them.
Accordingly, if we can create in our families a strong, steady
current flowing toward our goal of righteous life, we and our children may
be carried forward in spite of the contrary winds of hardship,
disappointment, temptations, and fashion.
Youth and adults are subjected to so many swirling winds that we
sometimes wonder if they can survive. The winds of fashion push those
about who are insecure and who require the feeling that they are in step
with the crowd. The winds of sexual temptation drive some [p. 111] to
destroy their marriage or to dash bright prospects or to degrade
themselves. Bad companions, addicting drugs, the arrogance of profanity,
the slough of pornography--all these and more act as influences pushing
us, if we are not being carried forward by a strong, steady current toward
the righteous life. The current of our lives should be determined and made
strong by our parental and family life.
In each of us is the potentiality to become a God--pure, holy, true,
influential, powerful, independent of earthly forces. We learn from the
scriptures that we each have eternal existence, that we were in the
beginning with God. (See Abr. 3:2.) That understanding gives to us a
unique sense of man's dignity.
I have sometimes seen children of good families rebel, resist, stray,
sin, and even actually fight God. In this they bring sorrow to their
parents who have done their best to set in movement a current and to teach
and live as examples. But I have repeatedly seen many of these same
children, after years of wandering mellow, realize what they have been
missing, repent, and make great contribution to the spiritual life of
their community. The reason I believe this can take place is that, despite
all the adverse winds to which these people have been subjected, they have
been influenced still more, and much more than they realized, by the
current of life in the homes in which they were reared. When, in later
years they feel a longing to recreate in their own families the same
atmosphere they enjoyed as children, they are likely to turn to the faith
that gave meaning to their parents' lives.
There is no guarantee, of course, that righteous parents will succeed
always in holding their children, and certainly they may lose them if they
do not do all in their power. The children have their free agency.
But if we as parents fail to influence our families and set them on
the strait and narrow way, then certainly the waves, the winds of
temptation and evil will carry the posterity away from the path.
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he
will not depart from it." (Prov. 22:6.) What we do know is that righteous
parents who strive to develop wholesome influences for their children will
be held blameless at the last day, and that they [p. 112] will succeed in
saving most of their children, if not all.
The competition for our souls is described in Mosiah.
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall
of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings
of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint
through the atonement of Christ ... and becometh as a child, submissive,
meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which
the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his
father." (Mosiah 3:19.)
The "natural man" is the "earthy man" who has allowed rude animal
passions to overshadow his spiritual inclinations.
Some years ago when we visited overseas, where the children are
exposed in the public school to a constant barrage of propaganda against
religion, I asked leaders of the Church how they were able to hold their
children to the Church and keep them in the faith. They said, "We
scrupulously train our children in our homes, so they know truth from
error, and that when they go to school, the godless philosophies to which
they are exposed simply run off without penetrating. Our children love and
trust us and remain true to the faith." God bless such selfless, faithful
parents.
A beginning is a secure marriage, where there is a commitment to make
the personal adjustments to live together forever. With that sound base
our children have a feeling of peace.
Analysts of our modern time point out that in a fast-changing world,
people suffer a kind of shock from losing a sense of continuity. The very
mobility of our society means that our children are often moved from place
to place and lose close contact with the extended family of grandparents,
uncles, aunts, cousins, and longtime neighbors. It is important for us
also to cultivate in our own family a sense that we belong together
eternally, that whatever changes outside our home, there are fundamental
aspects of our relationship which will never change. We ought to encourage
our children to know their relatives. We need to talk of them, make effort
to correspond with them, visit them, join family organizations, etc.
How long has it been since you took your children, whatever their
size, [p. 113] in your arms and told them that you love them and are glad
that they can be yours forever? How long has it been since you husbands or
wives purchased an inexpensive gift as a surprise for your spouse for no
other reason than just to please? How long has it been since you brought
home a rose or baked a pie with a heart carved in the crust or did some
other thing to make life more ag]ow with warmth and affection?
If there is to be a contribution to the building fund or the Red
Cross or a Saturday morning spent helping the elders quorum paint a
widow's house, make sure the children are aware of it, and if it is
feasible, let them have a share in the decision-making and in the
implementation of the decision. All the family could attend the baptism,
confirmation, and ordination of a member of the family. All of the family
could root for a son who is on the ball team. All meet regularly in home
evenings, at mealtime, at prayer time. Perhaps all of the family could pay
tithing together and each learns by precept and example the beautiful
principle.
The home should be a place where reliance on the Lord is a matter of
common experience, not reserved for special occasions. One way of
establishing that is by regular, earnest prayer. It is not enough just to
pray. It is essential that we really speak to the Lord, having faith that
he will reveal to us as parents what we need to know and do for the
welfare of our families. It has been said of some men that when they
prayed, a child was likely to open his eyes to see if the Lord were really
there, so personal and direct was the petition.
A child leaving to go away to school or on a mission, a wife
suffering stress, a family member being married or desiring guidance in
making an important decision--all these are situations in which the
father, in exercise of his patriarchal responsibility can bless his
family.
And we should not overlook the fact that, particularly in the absence
of the father, a mother may pray with her children and call down the
Lord's blessings upon them. She does not act by virtue of priesthood
conferred upon her, but by virtue of her God-given responsibility to
govern her household in righteousness.
There is one important way in which we are different from icebergs.
We have motive power and are therefore able, the same as with ships, to
move ourselves as we want to go. If we are aware of the currents, we can
take advantage of them. Many large oil tankers and ore carriers traveling
from South America to harbors on the Atlantic seaboard are said to ride
the Gulf Stream much as airliners ride the jetstream high above the earth.
Or, if we wish to fight the current, we may be able to do so, yet the
current will inevitably have its effect. It is said that when Admiral
Peary was traveling toward the North Pole, he found himself on a great ice
floe as large as an island, and that as he moved northward toward the pole
with his dogs, the floe was bearing him southward even faster by the
current.
My brothers and sisters, the home is our peculiarity--the home, the
family, is our base. And this we've heard much about through this
conference-- that is, family life, home life, children and parents loving
each other and dependent upon each other. That's the way the Lord has
planned for us to live.
Now in conclusion of this great conference, which has spread through
three days and has brought us many thoughts, we bless these brethren who
have contributed, all of them who have spoken, who have brought treasures
of knowledge and much information and great inspiration to us here.
As we return to our homes, brothers and sisters, I hope we will not
close the door on the conference. Take it with us. Take it home with us.
Tell our families about it, perhaps some to report in sacrament meetings
of it. But take it to your families and give them the benefit of any
inspiration that might have come to you, any determinations to change your
lives and make them more acceptable to your Heavenly Father.
As this conference concludes, we bless you, and we bring to you the
blessings of the Lord of heaven. Brethren and sisters, I know that this is
the work of the Lord. You haven't come these long distances for nothing.
It is to feed your souls.
I know that the Lord lives--that God who was with Adam, that God who
came to the banks of the Jordan River to say, "This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 13:17), to introduce his Son to a world
that was to depend so completely on him. I know that was the God that we
worship, who came on the Mount of Transfiguration and said again to those
servants, Peter, James, and John, who were to carry on the work of the
Lord even in their imperfections: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased" (Matt. 17:5), the same God-- we know he lives and
exists--who came in the state of New York and said those same things that
he had already said to the Nephites--and now said to a world that had been
traveling in darkness for a long, long time--"This is My Beloved Son. Hear
him!" (Joseph Smith 2:17.)
I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. I know
that. I know that the gospel which we teach is the gospel of Jesus Christ
and the church to which we belong is the church of Jesus Christ; it
teaches his doctrines and his policies and his programs. I know that if
all of us will live the program as he has given it and will continue to
live it, that all the blessings promised will be ours. Now God bless you,
and we leave his blessings with you with our affection, our appreciation
for you, in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 4, 1975 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
"Why Call Me Lord, Lord, and Do Not the Things Which I
Say?"
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 This past week we have been celebrating the Easter week.
Happy Easter to you all! We read in the scripture:
|p2 "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the
first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to
see the sepulchre.
|p3 "And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of
the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the
stone from the door, and sat upon it.
|p4 "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white
as snow:
|p5 "And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as
dead men.
|p6 "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not
ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
|p7 "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the
place where the Lord lay.
|p8 "And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen
from the dead and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee;
there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you." (Matt. 28:1-7.)
|p9 "The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable."
(Ralph Sockman.) The name Jesus Christ and what it represents
has been plowed deep into the history of the world, never to be
uprooted. Christ was born on the sixth of April. Being one of
the sons of God and His Only Begotten, his birth is of supreme
importance.
|p10 The ministry of Christ--nothing in all the world approaches
these three pivotal years of his ministry as did those three
years.
|p11 The crucifixion came. He needed to die, that he might open
the graves of all men as his own tomb was opened. Without the
deep darkness of the crucifixion hour, there could have been no
spring of coming from the grave. "For as in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor. 15:22.) That is
why we rejoice today. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave,
where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55.)
|p12 The 11 apostles followed Christ to the top of the Mount of
Olives, and this is recorded in our scriptures, when the two
angels who were there said:
|p13 "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts
1:11.)
|p14 "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how
say some among you that the is no resurrection of the dead?" (1
Cor. 15:12.)
|p15 The purpose of this conference is that we may refresh our
faith, strengthen our testimonies and learn the ways of the Lord
from his duly appointed and authorized servants. May we take
this opportunity, then, to remind each other of our covenants
and promises and commitments.
|p16 All members have been baptized by immersion in water and
have received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by
properly authorized men who hold the holy priesthood. We all
have been received by baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ
when we have humbled ourselves before God, have desired to be
baptized, have come forth with broken hearts and contrite
spirits, and when we have witnessed before the Church that we
are truly repentant of our sins and are willing to take upon us
the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to
the end and thus manifest by our words that we have received the
Spirit of Christ unto the remission of our sins.
|p17 With some of the Brethren we have just returned recently
from the area conferences in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and in Buenos
Aires, Argentina. In that southern world of Zion we reminded
them that Zion was all of North and South America, like the
wide, spreading wings of a great eagle, the one being North and
the other South America.
|p18 The Church there is progressing and growing. The people are
happy and inspired; the youth are laughing and dancing as they
grow to leadership.
|p19 The "gathering of Israel" is effected when the people of
the faraway countries accept the gospel and remain in their
native lands. The gathering of Israel for Mexico is in Mexico;
in Scandinavia, for those of the northern countries; the
gathering place for the Germans is in Germany; and the
Polynesians, in the islands; for the Brazilians, in Brazil; for
the Argentines, in Argentina. We express our appreciation to the
Lord for his goodness as we direct the activities of three and a
half million people, ever growing more populous, and more
independent, and, even more faithful.
|p20 Nearly 19,000 missionaries preach the gospel today. "The
field is white already to harvest" (D&C 4:4), and the
missionaries and the members are bringing many to a knowledge of
the gospel.
|p21 We are sending missionaries to the four corners of the
earth and to the ends of the world and look forward to the day
when we shall take the exalting message to all places in the
North, the South, the East, and the West, and the |P5|p1 islands
of the sea. Truly, this is now a world church with nearly 700
functioning stakes and about 7,500 wards and branches, and about
150 missions. We are approaching the covering of the earth with
the gospel as the depths are covered with the mighty oceans.
|p2 The Church is healthy. The people generally are faithful.
They are happy. Recently a prominent eastern visitor asked me
the question "Why are you, the Mormon people, such happy folks?"
And my answer was, "It is because we have everything the gospel
of Jesus Christ, the light, the priesthood, the power, the
promises, the covenants, the temples, our families, the truth."
|p3 We have turned the Church hospitals over to an independent
source for operation. We have dedicated a magnificent temple
structure in Washington, D.C., and have announced another temple
to be built in Sao Paulo, in South America.
|p4 In an earlier conference we called to your attention that
the Lord had created for us this beautiful world and gave
command to our father Adam to till the ground and to dress the
land and to make it habitable. That command continues to us.
|p5 We recommend to all people that there be no undue pollution,
that the land be taken care of and kept clean, productive, and
beautiful, He gave to us the herbs and the good things which
come of the earth for food and raiment and houses and barns and
orchards and gardens and vineyards, each in the season thereof,
and all of this is given for the benefit and use of man, both to
please the eye and to gladden the heart; for food and for
raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to
enliven the soul. And it pleased God that he had given all these
things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used,
with judgment. (See D&C 59:16-20.)
|p6 We are concerned when we see numerous front and side and
back yards that have gone to weeds, where ditch banks are
cluttered and trash and refuse accumulate. It grieves us when we
see broken fences, falling barns, leaning and unpainted sheds,
hanging gates, and unpainted property. And we ask our people
again to take stock of their own dwellings and properties.
|p7 There is a story that President Brigham Young, having urged
the people of certain communities to properly dress and clean
their premises, refused to go back to them to preach to them,
saying something like this: "You didn't listen to me when I
urged you to fix up your premises. The same doors are off their
hinges; the same barns are still unpainted; the same fences are
partly fallen."
|p8 The following excerpt comes from a much-read magazine:
|p9 "Almost every backyard has what every person needs: a way to
help cut inflation and ease the world food crisis in the
process.
|p10 "It's called `land.' And there doesn't have to be much of
it to help a lot.
|p11 "It can be the play area that doesn't get played on
anymore, a sunny plot behind the garage, a 10-foot strip that
runs across the back of the lot, or the adjoining lot that was
bought to grow grass and play catch on.
|p12 "And all you need to make this space lower your food costs
is to raise your own vegetables on it.
|p13 "It's been calculated that a carefully managed garden just
15x20 feet in size can yield almost $300 worth of fresh food in
six months. So the savings can be substantial."
|p14 We are pleased that many people are planting gardens and
fruit trees and are haying canning jars and lids. City officials
here and many other individuals are planting patches of soil
almost equal to the days of the "victory gardens" in World War
II. We congratulate those families who are listening and doing.
|P6|p1 We make a conscientious effort to look out for our own
members, and we teach them to practice economy, to store a
year's supply of basic commodities.
|p2 We teach our people to live the laws of health. It is paying
important dividends in longer and more healthy lives.
|p3 A study of researchers at a university center reveals the
fact that "there is a significantly lower percentage of cancer
of the lung and esophagus among the `Mormon Church' members."
One prominent doctor said they are healthier and wiser for not
smoking and drinking. He indicated that cancer of the esophagus
is strongly related to alcohol. He said further, "Utahns as a
whole have 25 percent fewer deaths from heart attacks than do
Americans at large, and this can be associated with less
smoking."
|p4 We are appalled at the reported dishonesty in many
communities in our land; that the loss through shoplifting and
allied dishonest tricks runs into billions of dollars in this
country alone.
|p5 The Lord told Adam's posterity and carved it into the stone plates, "Thou shalt not steal." (Exod. 20:15.) All parents
should train their children against this deadly thing which can
destroy their characters. Honesty is socially and culturally
right. Liars and cheaters are both dishonest and alien to our
culture. Dishonesty of all kinds is most reprehensible. "Thou
shalt not steal."
|p6 We call upon all the three and a half million members of
this church to be honest, full of integrity, pay for what they
get and take only that which they have properly paid for. We
must teach our children honor and integrity.
|p7 From the beginning we have been advised against gambling of
every sort. The deterioration and damage comes to the person,
whether he wins or loses, to get something for nothing,
something without effort, something without paying the full
price.
|p8 Recently the U. S. News World Report ran a list of principal
forms of crime in America with the cost per year of each. Losses
in gambling led all the rest.
|p9 Gambling losses were five times the narcotics bill; more
than 20 times the cost of hijacking; four times the losses in
embezzlements, fraud, and forgery combined; ten times greater
than robbery, burglary, theft, and shoplifting; 25 times greater
than vandalism and arson, and more than twice the cost of
maintaining all federal, state, and local police, plus the
expense of operating our penal system and the courts which
handle criminals.
|p10 And what was the cost of gambling?
|p11 Thirty billion dollars per year.
|p12 A yet, some states are introducing lotteries as a means of
increasing their income. Some clubs--even some religious
groups--sponsor gambling games.
|p13 Think what could be done if this money were diverted into
worthwhile lines! What would $30 billion a year do to help the
starving people.
|p14 We are terribly distressed to read in the press that
smoking among women and teenagers is increasing and that women
are now beginning to get lung cancer in increasing numbers.
About 80 percent of all lung cancers occur in cigarette smokers,
but this is only the beginning of the problem. Cigarette smoking
is similarly linked to emphysema, bronchial diseases, and heart
diseases. They are costly diseases that cause much suffering and
carry people away from life prematurely.
|p15 The Lord gave in a sacred revelation in 1833 what we have
more recently learned through research: "Hot drinks are not for
the body." This is tea and coffee. "Tobacco is not for the body
. . . and is not good for man. . . . Wine or strong drink . . .
is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father." (See D&C
89:5-9.)
|p16 The Lord knew when these things were discovered that
constant smoking could lead to cancer; that constant drinking
could lead to many accidents and diseases.
|p17 It is now a command to all his members, and as we see some
members using these prohibited things, we wonder how they
reconcile such activities with the statement of the Lord Jesus
Christ when he said: "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not
the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46.) We sincerely hope the
members of the Church will give heed.
|p18 Two researchers of the University of Utah have given us
proof: This Church has a low death-rate tradition. The state of
Utah, with about 72 percent of its population claimed by the
Church in 1971, had the lowest death rate of any state in the
continental United States. There were states with nearly twice
this state's death rate.
|p19 The survey shows that deaths due to heart, cancer, and
liver-related diseases, three of the ten leading causes of death
in America related to smoking and drinking, are less prevalent
in Utah than in the United States generally. Thus, the Church
death rate is related to the Word of Wisdom.
|p20 And so, we ask those who ignore this law: Why? Why? The
Lord said: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of
my Father which is in heaven.
|p21 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works?
|p22 "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7:21-23.)
|P7|p1 This is serious business living the commandments of the
Lord, and sometimes taking it upon ourselves to ignore them.
|p2 Back in the earliest days after the Creation, the Lord said
to Enoch: "Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship
of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the
day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man
his agency." (Moses 7:32.) We have no intent to take away from
our friends, and the other people of the world, their agency in
the use of these prohibited things. But we believe that the
Lord, when he gave the Word of Wisdom, was speaking to all the
people in the world.
|p3 We fear that never in the history of the world have there
ever been so many more people bowing to the god of lust than
there were bowing to golden calves and the images of wood and
stone and metal. This idolatry, so closely associated with the
destruction of mind and body, could inundate the world. We note
the great increase in divorces. We disavow them. We sorrow with
them, realizing that if there are justifiable ones, the
justifiable ones are few. Generally, divorce is spelled
SELFISHNESS on the part of one party, generally both. It is ugly
and generally most destructive for the people concerned, in
their loss, their sorrow, their loneliness and frustration,
particularly with the many children who are greatly deprived. It
is easy to rationalize and justify the divorce. Our study
reveals the fact that all too often it is because of their
immoralities and their idolatrous worship of the god of lust.
|p4 It is hard indeed to justify in one small city not far from
us 272 divorces in the same time that 341 marriage licenses were
given.
|p5 When men and women are selfless and devoted to their
companions, they will have returned more nearly to the image of
marriage described by the Lord when he said, "Therefore shall a
man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh." (Moses 3:24.)
|p6 When men are true to their covenants made with their wives
and are loyal and selfless, divorces will take a downward trend.
Paul gave the injunctions, "Husbands, love your wives, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. So ought
men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his
wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh."
(Eph. 5:25, 28-29.)
|p7 And when women forget their pettiness and selfishness and
submit themselves to their own righteous husbands as unto the
Lord, and when they are subject to their husbands as the Church
is expected to be subject unto Christ, then will the divorce
rate reduce, and families will grow, and children will be happy,
laughing children. God created male and female with special
talents, powers, responsibilities, and with the ability to
perform their special tasks.
|p8 When men come home to their families and women devote
themselves to their children, the concept will return, that to
be a mother is her greatest vocation in life. She is a partner
with God. No being has a position of such power and influence.
She holds in her hands the destiny of nations, for to her comes
the responsibility and opportunity of molding the nation's
citizens.
|p9 In a California stake I heard a mother give this sermon: "I
am grateful that I am a woman. I am grateful that I am a wife. I
am grateful that I am a mother. I am grateful that I am a
Latter-day Saint." This I thought was a powerful sermon.
Motherhood is the greatest vocation.
|p10 Much is being said in the press and in the pulpit
concerning abortion. This Church of Jesus Christ opposes
abortion, and counsels all members not to submit to nor
participate in any abortion, in any way, for convenience or to
hide sins.
|p11 Abortion must be considered one of the most revolting and
sinful practices in this day, when we are witnessing a
frightening evidence of permissiveness leading to sexual
immorality. We take the solemn view that any tampering with the
fountains of life is serious, morally, mentally,
psychologically, physically. To interfere with any of the
processes in the procreation of offspring is to violate one of
the most sacred of God's commandments--to "multiply, and
replenish the earth." (Gen. 1:28.)
|p12 Members of the Church guilty of being parties to the sin of
abortion must be subjected to the disciplinary action of the
councils of the Church, as circumstances warrant. We remember
the reiteration of the Ten Commandments given by the Lord in our
own time, when he said, "Thou shalt not steal; neither commit
adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it." (D&C 59:6.)
We see some similarities.
|p13 We abhor pornography that seems to be flooding the land.
Legislation makes an effort to curb it, but the best way to stop
it is to have men and women, with their families, build barriers
against it. We ask you, "Do you good people of your community
want this ugly vice to corrupt your families and your
neighbors?"
|p14 Moses came down from the quaking, smoking Mount Sinai and
brought to the wandering children of Israel the Ten
Commandments, fundamental rules for the conduct of life. These
commandments were, however, not new. They had been known to Adam
and his posterity, who had been commanded to live them from the
beginning and were merely reiterated by the Lord to Moses. And
the commandments even antedated earth life and were part of the
test for mortals established In the council of heaven.
|p15 The first of the Ten Commandments requires that men worship
the Lord; the fourth designates a sabbath day especially for
worship: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Remember the
sabbath, day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do
all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy
God: in it thou shalt not do any work." (Exod. 20:3, 10.)
|p16 The failure to keep the Sabbath holy is evidence of man's
failure to meet the individual test set for each of us before
the creation of the world, "to see if they will do all things
whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." (Abr. 3:25.)
|p17 We urge our people to do all their shopping on the weekday.
Again we say, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say?" (Luke 5:46.)
|p18 When the Lord said, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it
holy," we believe he meant exactly that.
|p19 We are appalled at the conscious effort of many of the
people in this world to take it upon themselves, presumptively,
to change the properly established patterns of social behavior
established by the Lord, especially with regard to marriage, sex
life, family life. We must say: "The wisdom of the wise men
shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall
be hid." (See Isa. 29:14.)
|p20 Brethren and sisters, God bless you as you move forward to
meet all your commitments and live the commandments. We bless
you in your efforts to become like our Lord that you will become
more like him. May God richly bless you in your homes, your
families, and your personal lives, I pray in the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.
April 5, 1975 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
To Bear the Priesthood Worthily
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 I have been wishing as I sat here and listened to these
excellent sermons of these four Brethren tonight that all the
boys in this world and every man in this world could hear
sermons such as these to give them some concepts, some ideas,
and some standards toward which to work. How fortunate are we,
the men and boys of the Church, to be able to be so instructed
and inspired in our personal lives and our Church work.
|p2 I should like to address a few words to our executive
officers, particularly the bishops and stake presidents, who are
the "common judges" in Israel
|p3 I will read for you the words of the prophets and the
President of the Church in an earlier century. President John
Taylor is quoted as saying:
|p4 "Furthermore, I have heard of some Bishops who have been
seeking to cover up the iniquities of men; I tell them, in the
name of God, they will have to bear them themselves, and meet
that judgment; and I tell you that any man who tampers with
iniquity, he will have to bear that iniquity, and if any of you
want to partake of the sins of men, or uphold them, you will
have to bear them. Do you hear it, you Bishops and you
Presidents? God will require it at your hands. You are not
placed in positions to tamper with principles of righteousness,
nor to cover up the infamies and corruptions of men. (Conference
Report, April 1880, p. 78.)
|p5 I read further from George O. Cannon, who was also in the
First Presidency:
|p6 "The Spirit of God would undoubtedly be so grieved that it
would forsake not only those who are guilty of these acts, but
it would withdraw itself from those who would suffer them to be
done in our midst unchecked and unrebuked; and from the
President of the Church down, throughout the entire ranks of the
Priesthood, there would be a loss of the Spirit of God. a
withdrawal of His gifts and blessing and His power, because of
their not taking the proper measures to check and to expose
their iniquity. (Journal of Discourses 26:139.)
|p7 Now, brethren, we could quote many others of the Brethren in
this same vein.
|p8 We are concerned that too many times the interviewing leader
in his personal sympathies for the transgressor, and in his love
perhaps for the family of the transgressor, is inclined to waive
the discipline which that transgressor demands.
|p9 Too often a transgressor is forgiven and all penalties
waived when that person should have been disfellowshipped or
excommunicated. Too often a sinner is disfellowshipped when he
or she should have been excommunicated.
|p10 Remember that President Taylor said you will have to carry
that sin yourself. Are you willing to do it, brethren?
|p11 Do you remember what was said by the prophet Alma? "Now,"
he said. repentance could not come unto men except there were a
punishment." (Al. 42:16.)
|p12 Ponder on that for a moment. Have you realized that? There
can be no forgiveness without real and total repentance, and
there can be no repentance without punishment. This is as
eternal as is the soul.
|p13 One more thought: The president or the bishop makes the
determination, and the counselors or the high council accept his
determination or reject it. But they do not vote it in, as you
would many ordinary things.
|p14 Please remember these things when somebody comes before you
who has broken the laws of God.
|p15 It is so easy to let our sympathies carry us out of
proportion; and when a man has committed sin, he must suffer. It
is an absolute requirement not by the bishop but it is a
requirement by nature and by the very part of a man. This
discipline is especially applicable to adults and married people
and more especially to those who have been to the tent pIe. They
must understand that they cannot tamper with the holy laws of
God.
|p16 Another matter that came to my attention the other day is a
partial quote from Wilford Woodruff about Joseph Smith.
Sometimes we find members who have an overdose of false pride.
They want their way or they will quit. Have you ever seen
anybody leave the ward and never "darken the door" of the ward
building again because of a little altercation perhaps with the
bishop or with someone there?
|p17 We have no chance to be lifted up in the pride of our
hearts," said the Prophet, "with regard to the position we
occupy. If the President of the Church or either of his
counselors or, if the apostles, or any other man, feels in his
heart that God cannot do without him, and that he is especially
important in order to carry on the work of the Lord, he stands
upon slippery ground. I heard Joseph Smith say that Oliver
Cowdery who was the second Apostle in this Church, said to him,
`If I leave this church, it will fall.' Said he, `Oliver, you
try it.' Oliver tried it. He fell; but the Kingdom of God did
not. I have been acquainted with other Apostles in my |P79|p1
day and time who felt that the Lord could not do without them
but the Lord got alone with His work without them. I say to all
men--Jew and Gentile great and small rich and poor--that the
Lord Almighty has power within Himself and is not dependent upon
any man to carry on His work, but when He does call men to do
His work, they have to trust in Him." (Wilford Woodruff,
"Discourse," Deseret Weekly. Apr. 6. 1890, 40:559-60.)
|p2 And now my brethren of the priesthood, there is something
very special about meeting together in this priesthood meeting
time during each conference when the fathers and the sons are
together and come from distances to hear the program of the
conference.
|p3 I see among you many fine young men and it pleases me
greatly to see the budding of those who will before long be the
fathers and the leaders, the bishops and the stake presidents,
and the missionaries as well, on their way up.
|p4 I realize that before me are hundreds of young men, many of
whom are deacons. I remember when I was a deacon. (It has been a
long time ago. however.) I thought it was a great honor to be a
deacon. My father was always considerate of my responsibilities
and always permitted me to take the buggy and horse to gather
fast offerings. My responsibility included that part of the town
in which I lived, but it was quite a long walk to the homes, and
a sack of flour or a bottle of fruit or vegetables or bread
became quite heavy as it accumulated. So the buggy was very
comfortable and functional. We have changed to cash in later
days, but it was commodities in my day. It was a very great
honor to do this service for my Heavenly Father: and though
times have changed, when money is given generally instead of
commodities, it is still a great honor to perform this service.
|p5 I am a deacon. I am always proud that I am a deacon. When I
see the Apostles march up to the stand at a solemn assembly to
bless the sacrament, and others of the General Authorities step
up to the sacrament tables to get the bread and the water and
humbly pass it to all the people in the assembly and then return
their emptied receptacles I am very proud that I am a deacon and
a teacher, and a priest.
|p6 In our special meetings it the temple, when the Brethren of
the General Authorities come up to the sacrament table to bless,
then pass the sacrament, then my heart beats more audibly again
and I am grateful that I hold the sacred Aaronic Priesthood and
have the privilege of taking care of the sacrament.
|p7 Then I remember it was Jesus Christ himself who broke the
bread and blessed it and passed it to his Apostles. Then I am
proud that I can do likewise. And I commend to you that which
President Tanner has just said, and the other Brethren, about
being worthy to pass the sacrament, and being reverent.
|p8 For you fathers I should like to quote from an article by
Walter MacPeek: "Boys need lots of heroes like Lincoln and
Washington. But they also need to have some heroes close by.
They need to know some man of towering strength and basic
integrity personally. They need to meet him on the street, to
hike and camp with him, to see him close to home, every day,
down-to-earth situations; to feel close enough to him to ask
questions and to talk things |P80|p1 over man-to-man with him."
(Source unknown.)
|p2 Now I hope that every father provides that kind of closeness
to his son. I hope that every father provides a home evening for
his family, an opportunity for all sons and daughters to express
themselves, help plan the family life, offer the family prayers,
and to take part in the family home evenings.
|p3 There is real purpose in life, boys. Your Heavenly Father
has helped to provide a world for you and a life for you. It can
be a notable one or it can be a casual one. That is up to you,
and by the time you are 12 years of age or older, much is
expected of you. You are not living a life of luck; it is a life
of pluck, a life of effort and planning. It is said that in the
Jewish law a boy of 12 is given nearly adult status. I suppose
that is the reason the Lord Jesus Christ remained at the temple
when his family took him there, and he talked intelligently with
the community leaders and the doctors and the leading people.
|p4 Now, with such a lather who is devoted to his son, it is up
to each son to begin to firm up a life that will be pleasing to
his Heavenly Father, to his earthly father and mother, and to
all the people with whom he comes in contact. In your growing up
there are many calls for courage, as you have heard so
eloquently tonight from President Romney.
|p5 "You're young, with your life before you," said the chaplain
on a sinking ship. "Here, take this," he said. And with these
words the chaplain shoved his life preserver into the hands of
an enlisted man, and a few moments later, went down with the
ship.
|p6 "The date was February 3, 1943. The tragedy was the
torpedoing of the American troop ship Dorchesier. The chaplain
was one of four, all of whom said in effect the same thing, gave
up their life preservers, and sacrificed their lives: one was a
Catholic; two were Protestants; one was Jewish.
|p7 "Their heroism was a dramatic example of chaplains' action
in an emergency and it has become known everywhere. But
chaplains' day-to-day service for the men in the armed forces is
less well understood, and it is important to all of us." (Source
unknown)
|p8 Should any of you young men get into the military, I want
you to know that we have LDS chaplains also in the armed
services; and we hope you will stay close to them because
generally they are men of power and strength.
|p9 It is not necessary to wait until one is legal age to begin
to build his life. It should begin in his infancy and his
childhood.
|p10 It is interesting to note that Jesus, the Lord, was only 12
when he went to the temple, and only 33 when he was crucified.
It is interesting to note that the Prophet Joseph Smith received
his divine revelation at less than 15 years; he was only 18
years old when Moroni came to visit him and tell him of the
plates. He was only 22 years of age when he received the gold
plates and the great responsibility that came with them. He was
only 24 years old when he published the Book of Mormon and a
little over 24 when he organized the kingdom of God upon the
earth according to revelation.
|p11 It is also most interesting to know that his first apostles
were young men, relatively young, from 29 to 36. It is almost
unbelievable how young and yet mature and strong and personable.
|p12 The making of a man out of a boy--you have all seen
missionaries come and go, thousands, tens of thousands of them.
Missionary work does this, if they will yield. How often have
you said goodbye to a 19-year-old boy going into the mission
field and two years later met a man returning, who stood tall
and strong and high and purposeful.
|p13 The leader of a big concern in this country answered the
question propounded to him: "How do you make a man a boy?" The
question was termed slightly differently: "What is it that makes
a man a real man?" I liked his answer:
|p14 "There are many things, but perhaps the inner voice he
listened to as a young boy was most important of all. That voice
we call conscience, and it directs one's thoughts. What one
things may find expression in actions. Since repeated actions
form habits, the thoughts you are thinking and the things you
are doing at this moment tend to reveal the kind of a man you
will be.
|p15 "Were I asked what a boy needs to do today in order to be a
man worthy of the name tomorrow, I would say: Never lie and
never cheat. A liar is a weakling. A cheat is both a weakling
and a thief. In finding the courage to honor truth in all
things, you are on the way to self-mastery.
|p16 "Work hard. Your mind is a storehouse and you stock the
shelves. Stock them with quality goods. Remember that the habits
of work and study you form today are the ones you will live with
tomorrow.
|p17 "Have fun. Play active games which require stamina and
sportsmanship. Abide by the rules yourself. Demand that others
do likewise.
|p18 "Honor your Creator. God is the source of all good. The
ideals on which the nation is founded stem from him who is the
author of Liberty. You can express appreciation for your
priceless heritage best by living according to the code of
`Duty, Honor, Country, and God.'
|p19 "If you do these, and in all things do your best, the mind
and heart and soul you develop will one day be those of a real
man." )J. Edgar Hoover, source unknown.)
|p20 It is the stance that counts. When one wants to be tall, he
starts by stretching himself heavenward. If he wants to be
noble, he puts on his noble garments. If he wants to fly, he
must get wings. If one wants to be righteous, he needs to put on
the cloak of righteousness.
|p21 There is the story told of Lord George Hall of an earlier
time. It is a mythical story. Believe it or not, but at least
take the lesson if you find one there. "Lord George had led an
evil life. He had been a drunkard, a gambler, and a cheat in
business, and his face reflected the life he had led. It was a
very evil face.
|p22 "One day he fell in love with a simple country girl to whom
he proposed marriage. Jenny Mere told him that she could never
marry a man whose face was so repulsive and so evil-looking; and
also that when she did marry, she wanted a man with a saint-like
face, which was the mirror of true love.
|p23 "Following a custom of the day, Lord George went down to
mr. Aeneas in Bond Street, London. Aeneas made waxen masks for
people, and his skill was so art-perfect that the person's
identity was completely hidden. As proof of his skill, it is
said that many spendthrift debtors, equipped with his masks,
could pass among their creditors unrecognized. Aeneas went to
his storeroom, selected a mask, heated it over a lamp, fixed it
to Lord George's face; and when Lord George looked in the glass,
he had the face of a saint who loved dearly. So altered was his
appearance that Jenny Mere was soon wooed and won.
|p24 "He bought a little cottage in the country, almost hidden
in an arbor of roses, with a tiny garden spot. From then on his
entire life changed. He became interested in nature; he found
`sermons in stones, books in brooks, and good in everything.'
Formerly he was blase and life has no interest for him; |P81|p1
now, he was engrossed in kindliness, and the world around him.
|p2 "He was not content with starting life anew, but tried to
make amends for the past. Through a confidential solicitor he
restored his ill-gotten gains to those whom he had cheated. Each
day brought new refinements to his character, more beautiful
thoughts to his soul.
|p3 "By accident, his former companions discovered his identity.
They visited him in his garden, and urged him to return to his
old evil life. When he refused, he was attacked, and the mask
was torn from his face.
|p4 "He hung his head. Here was the end of all; here was the end
of his new-found life and his love dream. As he stood with bowed
head, with the mask at his feet on the grass, his wife rushed
across the garden and threw herself on her knees in front of
him. When she looked up at him, who do you suppose she found?
Lo! Line for line, feature for feature, the face was the same as
that of the mask. Lines of beauty--regular features." (Source
unknown.)
|p5 There is no doubt that the life one leads, and the thoughts
one thinks are registered plainly in his face.
|p6 Perhaps I have time to read a few lines here from an article
which I thought might be of interest to you.
|p7 Hearsay
In every town, in every street,
In nearly every house, you meet
A little imp, who wriggles in
With half a sneer and half a grin,
And climbs upon your rocking chair,
Or creeps upon you anywhere;
And when he gets you very near,
Just whispers something in your ear--
Some rumor of another's shame--
And "Little Hearsay" is his name.
He never really claims to know--
He's only heard that it is so; And then he whispers it
to you,
So you will go and whisper too.
For if enough is passed along
The rumor, even though it's wrong--
If John tells Henry, Henry--Joe,
And Joe tells Mary, Mary--Flo,
And Flo tells Mildred, Mildred--Ruth--
It very soon may pass for truth.
You understand, this little elf
He doesn't claim it's really true--
He only whispers it to you,
Because he knows you'll go and tell
Some other whisperer as well.
And so before the setting sun
He gets the devil's mischief done,
And there is less of joy and good
Around your little neighborhood.
Look out for "Hearsay!" when he sneaks
Inside the house--when slander speaks
Just ask the proof in every case;
Just ask the name and date and place;
And if he says he's only heard,
Declare you don't believe a word,
And tell him you will not repeat
The silly chatter of the street.
However gossips smile and smirk,
Refuse to do their devil's work.
Taken from "Shell Happytime"
|p8 Brethren, I wonder if any of you have ever sung in a male
chorus as beautiful as the one this night of 212 male voices. It
has been wonderful to meet with you. It is glorious to serve the
Lord in this capacity. How privileged we are to hold this
precious priesthood, which is greater than that held by kings
and emperors. How wonderful it is for every boy to have this
privilege with his brothers and father. May God bless you all
that the things which have been said this night in this meeting
may sink deep into our hearts and that all of us may profit by
them.
|p9 This is the work of the Lord. I want you boys and you men to
know. This is the work of the Lord, and I know it, and I want
you to know that I know it. And I think you know it, and
together we will go forward to meet our great destiny. God bless
you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 7, 1974 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Why Do We Continue to Tolerate Sin?
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brethren and sisters, we are nearing the close of
this semiannual conference which we have attended, and have
enjoyed I hope.
|p2 Some few years ago we established a new policy. As the
Church grew large, populous, and far-reaching, and realizing the
cost of transportation from the far reaches of the earth to this
conference, realizing the limitation on the facilities here
even--for we had long since filled this building--we determined
to take the conferences to the people.
|p3 And so the first was held in Manchester, England; the second
was held in Mexico City, Mexico; the next year we went to
Munich, Germany; last year we went to Stockholm, Sweden; and
this year we have been to Sao Paulo, Brazil and to Buenos Aires,
Argentina and the states in South America.
|p4 We have been highly gratified with the reception. We have
taken a group of the General Authorities and we have held for
the local people a conference somewhat similar to this one. We
have sustained the authorities of the Church; we have given to
them the benefits that they might have received had they come to
this conference.
|p5 We expect to continue this program and to go to different
parts of the world and take the messages and keep in close touch
with the great numbers of people who are congregating in the far
ends of the Church.
|p6 Recently we were in Brazil and then Argentina on successive
weekends, and we came back with our hearts filled with gratitude
at the attitudes and the spirits and the testimonies of those
good people who came in large numbers, at some sacrifice, to
those centers to hear the gospel from the leaders of the Church.
|p7 When we were in Sao Paulo, Brazil, we announced to those
people that, subject to their willingness and their readiness to
assist, we would build a holy temple in South America for all
the South Americans at that time. Hopefully, in later years,
other temples might be built for those who are farther away. The
people received it with gratitude and great happiness, tears of
joy and thankfulness.
|p8 They have been coming as they could accumulate the funds for
that long trip to the United States. They have been coming two,
four, and six at a time to receive their endowments in the holy
temple and to be sealed to their companions and to their
families, and so to realize that they could have a temple close
to home was a great joy to them.
|p9 As we talked about financing it--and we always give the
local people the privilege of contributing toward it but the
body of the Church, of course, makes the larger
contribution--they were anxious to do so. They were glad to
pledge what they could toward building the temple.
|p10 I was handed a little note this morning from one of the
brethren who has spent much time in Brazil, and he said, "It has
been reported to me that over 140 Brazilian members had already
booked passage to come to this conference and to go to the
temple. After you made the announcement to build a temple in
Brazil, 70 cancelled their passage and pledged the fare to the
building of the temple." It runs into tens and tens of thousands
of dollars, as you would recognize.
|p11 We think that a wonderful demonstration. We are sad that
they need to wait any longer for their temple privileges; but to
the young people, time is not quite as crowding as it is to some
of us older ones.
|p12 During this conference, you have heard many beautiful
testimonies and sermons of great strength. We hope that the
listening audience--which could run into the millions--may have
been listening with pure hearts and receptive minds and that
some of them may wish to join us in this great congregation now
that is running into the millions.
|p13 We know that it is true. We testify that to all the world.
We hope that they will set aside any prejudices they might have
had, or misconceptions, and that they might come to the fold of
Jesus Christ where it is pure and undefiled.
|p14 During this conference the Brethren have spoken upon many
subjects; and, all in all, they have covered quite well the
fundamentals of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
|p15 As we sat in a press conference a few days ago, I was asked
by the pressmen, "What situation exists in our society today
which causes you the greatest concern?" We had already discussed
the problem of growth, for we are growing so rapidly it is a
little difficult to keep the leadership ahead of the people; but
we are, thankfully, making headway.
|p16 As I thought quickly over this matter, I attempted to
answer the question, and I recalled the time when the world
leadership was based in Assyria and Babylonia. I remember the
Old Testament story of Belshazzar spoken of by President Romney
in the priesthood |P108|p1 meeting last night the son and
successor of the famous Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon being
the last reigning king before the conquest of Cyrus the Great.
We remembered the unholy thefts of Nebuchadnezzar, when he
defiled the sacred temple of Solomon in Jerusalem and took from
that temple many costly and precious serving items. I noted that
Belshazzar the king made a great feast, with a thousand of his
lords. He drank wine before the thousand and with the thousand.
To feed a thousand persons at a banquet is a herculean effort.
|p2 Not satisfied with the theft of the golden and silver
vessels which his father had taken from the holy temple, which
had already been dedicated to the Lord for His purposes,
Belshazzar took the stolen vessels and filled them with
intoxicating liquor, and invited into his chambers, not only the
thousand of his lords, but his princes, his wives, and hi
concubines. His guests ate and drank, probably gave toasts to
the gods of gold, the gods of silver, the gods of brass, the
gods of iron, the gods of wood, and the gods of stone. (see Dan.
5:1-4.)
|p3 I wondered if history were repeating itself, as I pondered
and thought over the condition of our own world today and its
permissiveness. In reading the media today I think I see some
striking and frightening similarities in the two ages. I read of
great feasts in many places, of many community leaders and
social leaders and VIPs in large numbers. I read of the local
lords and their wives and their mistresses. I read of their
drinking and their drunkenness |P109|p1 and their extravagances
and their immoralities--their shame--and then I whisper to
myself, "History is repeating itself."
|p2 I weary of discussing too much the matter of the moral
situation in our world. But I read in the Doctrine and Covenants
where the Lord said, "Say nothing but repentance unto this
generation; keep my commandments and assist to bring forth my
work, according to my commandments." (D&C 6:9.)
|p3 Then he said, "And how great is his joy in the soul that
repenteth!
|p4 "Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this
people." (D&C 18:13-14.) As the early Saints were going into
Missouri, the word of the Lord came to the leaders:
|p5 "Let them preach by the way, and bear testimony of the truth
in all places, and call upon the rich, the high and the low, and
the poor to repent.
|p6 "And let them build up churches, inasmuch as the inhabitants
of the earth will repent." (D&C 58:47-48.)
|p7 And so today, I think, I fear, it is the day of repentance a
day for people to take stock of their situations and to change
their, lives where that is necessary.
|p8 The commandment came to the leaders in this day as it came
direct from the Lord to Simon Peter in the days of old:
"Wherefore, I give unto you a commandment that ye go among this
people, and say unto them, like unto mine apostle of old, whose
name was Peter." (D&C 49:11.) I find that Peter the apostle
constantly called upon the people to cleanse their lives and
repent from their transgressions.
|p9 "Dearly beloved," he said, "I beseech you as strangers and
pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the
soul;
|p10 "Having your conversation [or your conduct] honest among
the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers,
they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify
God in the day of visitation." (I Pet. 2:11-12.)
|p11 I read of the common practice of the associations of men
and women not marriage partners; and they are claiming long and
loudly that marriage is no longer necessary. And apparently
almost without shame do they live together in a sexual
partnership without marriage. Has God changed his laws? Or has
puny, irresponsible, presumptuous man dared to change the laws
of God? Was sin yesterday? Did the devil reign in the hearts of
men only in the far-away past?
|p12 Abraham knew that the cities of the plains--Sodom and
Gomorrah and other places were wicked cities, housing wicked,
godless people, saying with Cain, "Who is the Lord that I should
know him?" (Moses 5:16.) He was aware that destruction of those
cities was imminent; but in his compassion for his fellowman, he
begged and pleaded with the Lord, "Peradventure there be fifty
righteous within the city." will you spare the others of the
city? (See Gen. 18:24.) That pleading being granted, came
Abraham again and prayed that the cities would be saved if 45
were found, or 40 or 30 or 20 or down to ten, but apparently
there could not be found even ten, in those vicious cities, who
were righteous. (See Gen. 18:24-32.)
|p13 The evil continued. The sin was too well entrenched. They
had laughed and joked about a destruction. The transgressions
for which Sodom had apparently been renowned continued on. In
fact, the people wanted to take advantage of the pure angel men
they had seen come into the city. The vicious men pressed and
would have broken down the doors to get to them. (See Gen.
19:4-11.)
|p14 Everything was done that could be done by Abraham to save
the city, but it had become so depraved and wanton that to save
it was impossible.
|p15 "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah
brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
|p16 "And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all
the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the
ground." (Gen. 19:24-25.)
|p17 Again we see history repeating it self. When we see the
pornography, the adulterous practices, homosexuality gone
rampant, the looseness and permissiveness of an apparently
increasing proportion of the people, we say the days of Satan
have returned and history seems to repeat itself.
|p18 When we see the depravity of numerous people of our own
society in their determination to force upon people vulgar
presentations, filthy communications, unnatural practices, we
wonder, has Satan reached forth with his wicked, evil hand to
pull into his forces the people of this earth? Do we not have
enough good people left to stamp out the evil which threatens
our world? Why do we continue to compromise with evil and why do
we continue to tolerate sin?
|p19 Recently I came across a statement of the Presidency of
the Church in another day, about six presidents ago, and I
should like to have read many of the lines from that statement,
for it brings to our mind that God is the same yesterday, today,
and forever; and the commandments that he gave to the early
prophets in other millennia and to the prophets in the day of
the Savior and to prophets of this day, bring to our minds fully
and conclusively that God is the same yesterday, today, and
forever.
|p20 We do not believe in situation-itis; we do not go with the
people who think that this is a different age, this is a
different time, these people are more enlightened, that was for
the old times. Always the Lord will hold to his statements that
he has given through the ages, and he will expect men to respect
themselves, to respect their wives, and the wives to respect
their husbands, and to respect their families, and to live
righteously, as he has repeated thousands of times through the
ages.
|p21 And so as I talked to the press, that thought came to my
mind. What can we do that we are not doing? How far can we go?
What changes can we make that will guarantee righteousness in
this world? Because if we do not, it looks as if destruction
could come, as it came to the Babylonians or as it came in a
little different way to Sodom and Gomorrah and other cities.
|p22 So we feel very strongly about this; and that is why we
continue to preach about it; why we caution our children and
teach them; why we caution our youth; why we caution our married
folks to let marriage be a beautiful, sanctified situation.
|p23 Now, my brothers and sisters, as we close this conference,
we hope you return to your homes with new spirituality to a
greater degree, that you will take to your families, to your
friends, to your wards and stakes and branches the testimonies
that you have received and the good feelings that have come into
your hearts as you have listened to the Brethren as they spoke
and bore witness.
|p24 I want to close with my testimony. I know that God lives. I
know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that he loves. I know that
he inspires. I know that he guides us. And I know that he loves
us. I know that he can love or he can feel greatly aggrieved
when he sees us getting off the path which he has marked so
plainly and made so straight.
|p25 And I bear this witness to you in the name of Jesus Christ,
our Master. Amen.
October 3, 1975 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Time to Labor Is Now
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 We welcome you to this general conference, whether in the
building or on the air. We convey to you our best wishes and our
affection.
|p2 Today we announce to you the appointment of four new General
Authorities to assist in the carrying forth of the work of the
Lord, especially in the missionary area. Elder Gene R. Cook of
Bountiful, Utah, formerly executive secretary of the First
Council of the Seventy will become a member of the First Council
of the Seventy. The First Quorum of the Seventy will be
gradually organized, eventually with seventy members, the
presidency of which will be made up of the seven members. Three
Brethren this day will be added to the First Quorum of the
Seventy. They are Charles A. Didier, a native of Belgium, now of
Frankfurt, Germany, a seventy: William Rawsel Bradford of San
Antonio, Texas, now president of the Chile Santiago Mission, a
seventy: Elder George Patrick Lee of Towaoc, Colorado, and
Shiprock, New Mexico, a seventy, now serving as president of the
Arizona Holbrook Mission. These four men will assume and carry
out the responsibilities of General Authorities. These four
General Authorities will be presented with the other General
Authorities for your vote a little later in the conference.
|p3 In February and March of this year, we held area conferences
in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Then in
August we held conferences in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippine
Islands, Korea, and Japan. The 114,000 estimated people in the
five years we have held these area conferences could not
possibly have come to Salt Lake to general conference, so we are
taking the conferences to them.
|p4 We announced to the people of South America that a temple
would be built in Sao Paulo for the people of those countries.
And then when we were in Asia we announced also the building of
a temple in Tokyo for the people of the Orient. We feel that
this is a mark of progress. When these two temples are built and
dedicated, it will greatly reduce the distance and time and cost
for the people in those two general areas to go to the temple
for their sacred ordinances.
|p5 People came to these conferences from long distances, by
automobile, bus, train, airplane, and by boat. Many sacrifices
were made that they might enjoy the conference. One sister
wrote, from whom we quote:
|p6 "The last session is so special. President Kimball said
goodbye to the people. He waved his hand, and the congregation
sang `Till We Meet Again.' My companion and I were hugging each
other in tears.
|p7 "I'm so blessed to be a member of the Church."
|p8 Another sister wrote:
|p9 "It's all over now! What? The area conference! I wish they
could stay longer here," she said. "Believe it or not it has
been raining cats and dogs, but the sun shone brightly just
before the prophet's plane landed at the airport. There was a
typhoon forecast, but it didn't come until after the Brethren
had left the country. I walked with Sister Kimball. I told her I
could hardly believe I was walking with her. Know what she said?
Well, she told me she is no different than I am. That she washed
clothes, washed the dishes, and cooks food, plants vegetables,
and does all the same things that I do."
|p10 "The area conference was truly wonderful," a third letter
said, "a wonderful experience to all the Filipino Mormons here.
I cried when the President first entered the hall and the
congregation started to sing `We Thank Thee, O God, for a
Prophet.'
|p11 "We live not far from Manila. We just planned traveling
home every night after the conference. Well, last Monday the
conference ended at almost 10:00 P.M. We were really flying to
reach home before the curfew bell at 12:00. We were still having
our journey when our back tire got flat, so we had to stop.
Lucky we stopped, because a Filipino constabulary told us that
we're not supposed to travel any more tonight. So we stayed in
the gasoline station until 4:00 A.M. till the curfew was off. We
went back to Manila again the following day for the balance of
the conference.
|p12 To see 1,200 young people all in costume, singing the song
"Carry On," made us wonder if they were not the ones who
composed it, they sang it so well.
|p13 As we were honored to visit the political leaders of those
countries, we explained to them that our missionaries not only
brought into their country American dollars but became
ambassadors for the country where they served. They develop a
great loyalty and love for the country, and they teach the new
members to be loyal and upright and full of integrity. We have
about 62,000 members in the Orient.
|p14 In this and other sessions of the conference, the General
Authorities will be speaking on many subjects, so I will |P5|p1
confine my address to a few points to which I wish to call your
attention.
|p2 In previous times we have urged you to plant gardens and
trees. We congratulate you on the number of gardens this year.
Everywhere we drive, from city to city. we see gardens that were
not there before. Rows of corn, red tomato plants, carrots,
onions, radishes, squash, and other plants. We congratulate you!
We see ward gardens and community gardens and neighborhood
gardens. We are sure that you have reduced, to some extent, the
high cost of living by having these fresh vegetables from your
own gardens.
|p3 We had a message from one Japanese brother who said, "Now I
have planted a garden here in Japan, and my potatoes are doing
well.
|p4 The Lord said, as he planted a garden in Eden,
|p5 "... all things which I prepared for the use of man; and man
saw that it was good for food." (Moses 3:8-9.)
|p6 "And I, the Lord God, took the man, and put him into the
Garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it." (Moses 3:15.)
|p7 In our own dispensation the Lord spoke:
|p8 "The fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field
and the fowls of the air, ...
|p9 "Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the
earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for
barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;
|p10 "Yea, all things which come of the earth ... are made for
the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to
gladden the heart;
|p11 "Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell."
(D&C 59:16-19.)
|p12 A letter from a little girl said, "I am helping my daddy
plant a garden, and my little brother is cleaning the yard."
|p13 The Bicentennial project of the Deseret News and the Utah
State Institute of Fine Arts, also encouraged by our Utah
governor, Calvin L. Rampton, was to plant a million trees for a
million people. We hope you will give this serious thought. The
trees can beautify and bless, and the fruit trees can help in
your living requirements.
|p14 A letter came from a rural area addressed to me. It said,
"Following your advice, we appraised our lot and became ashamed
of it. It was a pioneer rural home with the usual barn, chicken
house, and sheds. The outside fence was broken.
|p15 "We tore down the old barn; we straightened up and painted
the fence; we whitewashed the other outside buildings; and we
dug up the barn area and planted a garden, and what a delightful
one it was! Thank you."
|p16 When an administrator in Africa rode out to inspect land
that had been |P6|p1 devastated in a storm, he came to a place
where giant cedars had been uprooted and destroyed. He said to
his official in charge, "You will have to plant some cedars
here." The official replied, "It takes 2,000 years to grow
cedars of the size these were. They don't even bear cones until
they're 50 years old."
|p2 "Then," said the administrator, "we must plant them at
once." And this is the admonition to you.
|p3 "Let everyone sweep in front of his own door," said Goethe,
"and the whole world will be clean."
|p4 We mention another matter of importance. We note that in our
Christian world in many places we still have business
establishments open for business on the sacred Sabbath. We are
sure the cure of this lies in ourselves, the buying public.
Certainly the stores and business houses would not remain open
if we, the people, failed to purchase from them. Will you all
please reconsider this matter. Take it to your home evenings and
discuss it with your children. It would be wonderful if every
family determined that henceforth no Sabbath purchase would be
made.
|p5 The Lord Jesus Christ said with, I think, some sadness, "Why
call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke
6:46.)
|p6 Then we have the scripture from Ezekiel: "They sit before
thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do
them." (Ezek. 33:31.)
|p7 When we love the Lord, why do we still break his laws? We
implore you, then, earnestly, to discontinue the purchase of
things on the Sabbath day.
|p8 We are continuing in the missionary work also. This year we
have an increase of thousands of missionaries, running up to
near 21,000, who are out preaching the gospel--the largest group
ever in the world.
|p9 Perhaps the most pleasing note is the new dimension wherein
we have some thousands of local missionaries in South America,
Europe, the Orient, the South Seas, and elsewhere. They please
us mightily by their devotion and their efficiency. The local
ones proselyte without language training, and they proselyte
without visas generally, and they know their own culture. And we
are using local leaders in communities throughout the world. We
are finding them to be loyal, effective, and devoted leaders.
|p10 We continue to be concerned with the rising divorce rate.
Every divorce means saddened lives, broken vows, neglected and
deprived children, and broken homes. We decry divorce and feel
that there are relatively few divorces which are justifiable.
Great care should be taken in forming marriage alliances; then
both parties should do their utmost to keep these marriages
happy ones. This can be done.
|p11 Selfishness and other sins are responsible for most
divorces. The apostle Paul knew the answer. He said for men to
love their wives and wives to love their husbands. For two
people to work out their marriage together, they need a
carefully worked out budget, made by both husband and wife, and
then careful adherence to the same. Many marriages are defeated
in the marketplace when unscheduled purchases are made. Remember
that marriage is a partnership and is not likely to be
successful otherwise. There should be joint planning and joint
disciplining of the family. Too many civil marriages are broken.
We are grateful that the temple marriages are nearer in line.
|p12 Then we feel that the Lord must have stood in sadness again
when he said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the
will of my Father which is in heaven.
|p13 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works?
|p14 "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7:21-23.)
|p15 Family stability is fairly well measured by the divorce
rate in the community.
|p16 We are, for many other important reasons, urging our young
people to consider their marriages seriously and to go into the
holy temple for this sacred ordinance.
|p17 We decry abortions and ask our people to refrain from this
serious transgression. We have stated the following regarding
this sin:
|p18 "The Church [vigorously] opposes abortion and counsels its
members not to submit to or perform an abortion. . . .
|p19 "Abortion must be considered one of the most revolting and
sinful practices in this day, when we are witnessing the
frightening evidence of permissiveness leading to sexual
immorality.
|p20 "Members of the Church guilty of being parties to the sin
of abortion must be subjected to the disciplinary action of the
councils of the Church as circumstances warrant. The Lord stated
in the 59th section, `Thou shalt not steal; neither commit
adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it.'"(ENSIGN, Mar.
1973, p. 64.)
|p21 A magazine writer recently penned this: "Morality in public
life has plunged to the lowest level, the lowest level in
history."
|p22 As we witness the growing wave of violence and sex, we are
dismayed by the efforts of so many to bring into our living
rooms vivid portrayals of such conduct. But at the same time we
are encouraged by the expressed desire of executives of
television networks to reserve at least a portion of the early
evening hours for entertainment when parents may watch with
their children without embarrassment. It is a beginning which we
earnestly hope will be enlarged. God bless their righteous
efforts that our precious families may be protected from this
evil.
|p23 It has been a satisfaction to us to assist somewhat in the
placement of the Vietnamese people who came from their homeland
to locate here. We personally met the first refugees, and as we
saw them in their new surroundings in a foreign world, we
remembered our own people of the schooner days and the handcart
days as they came into this new land, bringing relatively little
or nothing with them. We have several hundred Vietnamese
brothers and sisters who are building a new life among us. Some
are members; some are not. We have located them without the
money that the government offered, but our compensation has been
that mentioned by the Savior:
|p24 "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40.)
|p25 We are grateful to the priesthood and Relief Society
sisters and other workers who have assisted in finding food,
clothing, and shelter for these good people.
|p26 One basic field of integrity is in the crossing of national
boundaries without paying proper customs dues. Sometimes people
rationalize. There are those who would hesitate to take from a
neighbor or steal from a merchant but have so completely geared
their thinking that it has come to be all right with them to
avoid customs and fail to make proper report of purchases. We
decry this and urge our people to be honest in every field and
in all that they do. We decry any exception to this rule and
hope that our people will be punctiliously honorable and honest
in all these customs obligations and other dealings also.
|p27 We cannot close this general statement without reiterating
our stand on morals. God is the same yesterday, today, |P7|p1
and forever. He has never intended that we should change or
update with our vision the moral issues which he established
long ago. Sin is still sin and always will be. We stand for a
life of cleanliness. From childhood through youth and to the
grave, we proclaim the wickedness of sexual life of any kind
before marriage, and we proclaim that every one in marriage
should hold himself or herself to the covenants that were made.
|p2 In other words, as we have frequently said, there should be
total chastity of men and women before marriage and total
fidelity in marriage. The fact that so-called sex revolutionists
would change the order and change the status is repugnant to us.
We abhor, with all our power, pornography, permissiveness, and
the so-called freedom of the sexes, and we fear that those who
have supported, taught, and encouraged the permissiveness that
brings about this immoral behavior will someday come to a sad
reckoning with Him who has established the standards.
|p3 Again we repeat the stirring words of the Savior: "Why call
ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke
6:46.)
|p4 And then again he said, "Say nothing but repentance unto
this generation." (D&C 6:9.)
|p5 "And I will bring distress upon men," he says, "that they
shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the
Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust. ...
|p6 "Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to
deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land
shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make
even a speedy riddance of all that dwell in the land." (Zeph.
1:17-18.)
|p7 We continue to warn the people and plead with them, for we
are watchmen upon the towers, and in our hands we have a trumpet
which we must blow loudly and sound the alarm.
|p8 Isaiah said, "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve
thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."
(Isa. 60:12.)
|p9 As we enter into these sessions of this conference, may we
invoke the blessings of the Lord upon all the brethren who will
be speaking and upon all you who will be listening, that your
hearts may be touched and your testimony may ring in your
hearts. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. I invoke
the blessings of heaven upon you in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
October 4, 1975 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Privilege of Holding the Priesthood
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Brethren, it is a great thrill to think that we are part of
a congregation of 225,000 men and boys. Some of you are a little
darker, some of you have slant eyes, but you are all men and
brethren, and we love you. We ire grateful that you are
associated with us tonight in this great meeting.
|p2 You have been hearing some very solid, firm doctrine here
tonight. I want to begin by telling you a story. I suppose all
of you young men learned the Articles of Faith before you became
a member of the priesthood. I am wondering if you have retained
in your mind those articles. I wonder if you know them
word-perfect. Would you Like to tell your fathers when you go
home, if you know the Articles of Faith word-perfect?
|p3 Some years ago a young Primary boy was on a train going to
California in the days when we traveled on trains. He was all
alone. He sat near the window watching the telephone poles go
by. Across the aisle from him was a gentleman who also was going
to California. The attention of the gentleman was called to this
very young boy traveling all alone without friends or relatives.
He was neatly dressed and well-behaved. And this gentleman was
quite impressed with him.
|p4 Finally, after some time, the gentleman crossed the aisle
and sat down by the young man and said to him, "Hello, young
man, where are you going?"
|p5 He said, "I am going to Los Angeles."
|p6 "Do you have relatives there?"
|p7 The boy said, "I have some relatives there. I am going to
visit my grandparents. They will meet me at the station, and I
will stay with them a few days during the school vacation."
|p8 The next questions were "Where did you come from?" and
"Where do you live""
|p9 And the boy said, "Salt Lake City, Utah."
|p10 "Oh, then," said the gentleman, "you must be a Mormon."
|p11 And the boy said, "Yes, I am." There was pride in his
voice.
|p12 The gentleman said, "Well, that's interesting. I've
wondered about the Mormons and what they believe. I've been
through their beautiful city; I've noticed the beautiful
buildings, the treelined streets, the lovely homes. the
beautiful rose and flower gardens, but I've never stopped to
find out what make them as they are. I wish I knew what they
believe."
|P78|p1 And the boy said to him, "Well, sir, I can tell you what
they believe. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His
Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.'" (First Article of
Faith.)
|p2 The businessman was a bit surprised but listened intently,
and the boy continued,. We believe that men will be punished for
their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.'" (Second
Article of Faith.)
|p3 And the traveling companion thought, "This is rather unusual
for a mere boy to know these important things."
|p4 The boy went on: "`We believe that through the Atonement of
Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and
ordinances of the Gospel.'" (Third Article of Faith.) And the
gentleman was amazed at the knowledge and understanding of a
mere boy--he was yet to be a Scout. But he continued and gave
the fourth Article of Faith and said. "`We believe that the
first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by
immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost.'"
|p5 "That is wonderful," said the gentleman. "I am amazed that
you know so well the doctrines of your church. I commend you."
|p6 With a good start and with encouragement, Johnny continued.
We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by
the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority to preach
the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.'" (Fifth
Article of Faith.)
|p7 "That's very solid doctrine, my boy," the gentleman said. "I
am curious now to know how they get called of God. I can
understand how they would receive the call and be established
with the laying on of hands, but I wonder who has the authority
to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof."
|p8 They discussed the matter of calling and sustaining and
laying on of hands. Then the lad said, "Would you like to know
more?"
|p9 The gentleman thought that was very unusual for a boy in
these tender years to know what the Church taught and he said,
"Yes, go on.
|p10 So Johnny quoted, "`We believe in the same organization
that existed in the Primitive Church, viz., apostles prophets,
pastors teachers, evangelists, etc. (Sixth Article of Faith.)
|p11 That brought some other discussion. "You mean that your
church has apostles such as James and John and Peter and Paul,
and prophets such as Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Daniel, and also
evangelists?'
|p12 And the boy responded quickly, "Yes, even evangelists. We
call them patriarchs and they are appointed in all parts of the
Church where there are |P79|p1 stakes. And by inspiration they
give to all the members of the Church, as required, what is
called a patriarchal blessing. I have already had my patriarchal
blessing, and I read it frequently. Now we have twelve apostles
who have the same calling and the same authority as given to the
apostles in the days of old."
|p2 The gentleman came back with these questions: "Do you speak
in tongues? Do you believe in revelations and prophecies?"
|p3 And the boy brightened up as he quoted, We believe in the
gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing,
interpretation of tongues, etc.'" (Seventh Article of Faith.)
|p4 The gentleman gasped. "This sounds like you believe in the
Bible!"
|p5 And the boy repeated again, "We do. `We believe the Bible to
be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also
believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.'" (Eighth
Article of Faith.)
|p6 The gentleman discerned that we believe both in the
scriptures and in revelation. And the boy quoted, "`We believe
all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we
believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things
pertaining to the Kingdom of God.'" (Ninth Article of Faith.)
And then he continued, "`We believe [also] in the literal
gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes;
that Zion will be built upon this [the American] continent; that
Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth
will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.' (Tenth
Article of Faith.)
|p7 The gentleman was listening intently. He showed no interest
in crossing the aisle back to his own seat. Then Johnny came in
again. He said, "`We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty
God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow
all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what
they may.'" (Eleventh Article of Faith.) He then continued, "`We
believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and
magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.'"
(Twelfth Article of Faith.)
|p8 And then as a final contribution, the boy repeated the
thirteenth Article of Faith. "`We believe in being honest, true,
chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men;
indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We
believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many
things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is
anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we
seek after these things.'"
|p9 This youngster relaxed now as he finished the Articles of
Faith. The gentleman was clearly excited, not only at the
ability of this young boy to outline the whole program of the
Church, but at the very completeness of its doctrine.
|p10 He said, "You know, after I have been to Los Angeles a
couple of days, I expect to go back to New York where my office
is. I am going to wire my company that I will be a day or two
late and that I am going to stop in Salt Lake City en route home
and go to the information bureau there and hear all the things,
in more detail, about what you have told me."
|p11 I am wondering how many of you know the Articles of Faith?
How many of you big men, as well as the little men? Do you know
them? Have you repeated them? You are always prepared with a
sermon when you know the Articles of Faith. And they are basic,
aren't they" I would think it would be a wonderful thing if all
the boys, as they learn them, would learn them word perfect.
That means that you don't miss and you don't forget.
|p12 Shall I tell you how I did it? I think I have told you
before, but I used to milk cows. I typed with two fingers, and I
would type out these Articles of Faith on little cards and put
them down in the corral right by me when I sat on the one-legged
stool and milked the cows. And I repeated them over, I guess 20
million times. I don't know. But at any rate, I have claimed
that I could say the Articles of Faith now after these many,
many years and could say them word-perfect. And I think it has
been most valuable to me. Will you do that, my fine young men?
|p13 Now to you older men, I want to quote a few scriptures to
you. Going to the book of Hebrews, written, I think, by Paul, we
read:
|p14 "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
|p15 "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the
worlds;
|p16 "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express
image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high;
|p17 "Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by
inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Heb.
1:1-4.)
|p18 And that reminds us of the 132nd section where he promises
that those who have received this new and everlasting covenant
and who live up to the covenants President Romney has been
talking about will exceed the angels. He goes beyond the gods
and angels that are waiting there to guard the gates.
|p19 "For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art
my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will I be to
him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?" (Heb. 1:5.)
|p20 The heavens may be full of angels, but they are not like
the Son of God, and we could add they are not like you who have
qualified for this high calling to be exalted in the Lord's
kingdom through the blessings that he has promised.
|p21 "And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the
world, he |P80|p1 saith, And let all the angels of God worship
him." (Heb. 1:6.)
|p2 That is the Son of God. That is Jesus Christ, whom we
worship, with all our souls, all our minds and might and
strength. He it is who is the Son of God.
|p3 "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the
things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them
slip." (Heb. 2:1.) We should let them slip. Oh, I hope, as we
find our way in this great program that we will never let these
glorious things slip.
|p4 "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;
which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard him." (Heb. 2:3.)
|p5 Peter, James, and John, Paul, others of the brethren--we
heard this great plan of salvation from them, after they had
heard it from the Lord who established it.
|p6 "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are
all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the
captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Heb.
2:10.)
|p7 Brethren, 225,000 of you are here tonight. I suppose 225,000
of you may become gods. There seems to be plenty of space out
there in the universe. And the Lord has proved that he knows how
to do it. I think he could make, or probably have us help make,
worlds for all of us, for every one of us 225,000.
|p8 Just think of the possibilities, the potential. Every little
boy that has just been born becomes an heir to this glorious,
glorious program. When he is grown, he meets a lovely woman;
they are married in the holy temple. They live all the
commandments of the Lord. They keep themselves clean. And then
they become sons of God, and they go forward with their great
program--they go beyond the angels, beyond the angels and the
gods that are waiting there. They go to their exaltation.
|p9 You remember in the 132nd section it says that Abraham
received all that he received in this same manner, and that
Abraham already was on his throne. He had his exaltation. It has
been a long time since he died, of course.
|p10 And then Paul speaks again: "Forasmuch then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that
had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14) by
being"subject to death, and going into that experience, and then
coming forth from the dead a resurrected being.
|p11 "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he
took on him the seed of Abraham." (Heb. 2: 16.)
|p12 And so through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, through David
finally, the Lord became the Son of God through Abraham.
|p13 "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the holy calling,
consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ
Jesus [Jesus, a high priest like you are high priests, many of
you; he was an apostle like these brethren on the stand are
apostles].
|p14 "For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses,
inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than
the house. . . .
|p15 "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation [the Lord
said, speaking of the people who were in Egypt and were subject
to the bondage of that country.]--"Wherefore, I was grieved with
that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and
they have not known my ways.
|p16 "So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my
rest." (Heb. 3:1, 3, 10-11.)
|p17 Sometimes we have thought of rest as being a place where we
get on the chaise lounge, or in our sneakers, or we get outside
and lie on the grass, something where we are at rest. That isn't
the kind of rest that the Lord is speaking about. It is he who
is the most dynamic,I the one who works the hardest, puts in the
longest hours, and lives the closest to his Heave Ny Father who
is rested--rested from his labors, but not put away from his
work.
|p18 Now I would like to give another few lines from another
scripture. This one is in the Pearl of Great Price. This is a
priesthood meeting, of course. All of you hold the priesthood;
it is a great privilege to hold the priesthood, a great
privilege. And let me read to you a few lines from your father
Abraham to show you how important it was to him. He says:
|p19 "And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and
rest [this other kind of rest, the kind that you work at] for
me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right
whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having
been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one
who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of
righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a
father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to
receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I
became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right
belonging to the fathers." (Abr. 1:2.)
|p20 It was ten generations, I believe, from Adam to Noah, and
then it was ten generations, I believe, from Noah to Abraham. He
inherited the blessings of the fathers. And who are the fathers?
They were the righteous men who were the patriarchs to the
nations in those first years.
|p21 He says, "It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it
came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time [When was
that? I guess we would say when Adam was placed on the earth],
yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundations of the
earth to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, on
the first man, who is Adam, our first father, through the
fathers unto me.
|p22 "I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood
according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning
the seed." (Abr. 1:3-4.)
|p23 This is something that we are heir to, we were born heir to
it, and all we need to do is qualify for it to obtain this
blessing, without which we never could go to the temple. And
never going to the temple, we could never be sealed. And
therefore, we could have no families; we could not go on with
our work.
|p24 "My fathers having turned from their righteousness, and
from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given
unto them [they] utterly refused to hearken to my voice." (Abr.
1:5.)
|p25 So Abraham had to leave. He left Chaldea and went north up
the river until he came to Haran--what is now Turkey. And then
from there to Palestine.
|p26 Now if I haven't wearied you with this reading, I should
like to read another two or three lines and then close.
|p27 "And his voice was unto me [after the Lord struck down the
man who was taking Abraham's life on the altar.--"His voice came
to me and he said]: . . . my name is Jehovah, and I have heard
thee, and have come down to deliver thee, and to take thee away
from thy father's house, and from all thy kinsfolk, into a
strange land which thou knowest not of. . . .
|p28 "As it was with Noah so shall it be with thee; but through
thy ministry my name shall be known in the earth forever." (Abr.
1:16, 19.) And he says, "I will . . . put upon thee my name."
(Abr. 1:18.) My name. The name of Jesus Christ. The priesthood
is called the "Holy Priesthood, after the Order of |P81|p1 the
Son of God." (D&C 107:3.) And then Melchizedek's name was given
to the priesthood so we wouldn't repeat too often the name of
the Son of God. And in connection with that, I frequently think
we use the names of Deity a little too much, probably; a little
too intimately, I think. There is a good example, that the Lord
gave the priesthood the name of the Melchizedek Priesthood to
avoid the repetition.
|p2 Now, one other thought before I close, and that is this: "I
shall endeavor, hereafter," Abraham said, "to delineate the
chronology running back from myself to the beginning of the
creation, for the records have conte into my hands, which I hold
unto this present time [and this is very important in connection
with some of the other work we have considered during this
conference]. . . .
|p3 "But the records of the fathers, even the patriarchs,
concerning the right of Priesthood, the Lord my God preserved in
mine own hands; therefore a knowledge of the beginning of the
creation, and also of the planets, and of the stars, as they
were made known unto the fathers, have I kept even unto this
day, and I shall endeavor to write some of these things upon
this record, for the benefit of my posterity that shall come
after me. (Abr. 1:28, 31.)
|p4 Brethren, it is really something to hold the priesthood--to
hold this advancing priesthood from deacon to teacher to
priest--and then to hold the priesthood which is permanent,
permanent as long as we are worthy of it and which can be our
shield and our way unto the eternal worlds. I pray the Lord will
bless us that we may never consider it a common, ordinary thing
to be just an elder "He is only an elder." "He is only a
seventy." "He is only a high priest." To be a high priest, a
high priest is really something in the life of any man. And to
consider it less than unusual and wonderful would be to not
understand the blessings that have been given.
|p5 Now this comes from the doctrines we possess. The Lord has
said, "I am the Almighty." "I am Jesus Christ." "I am Jehovah."
He is the one we worship. We sing about him in nearly every
song. We pray about him in all our prayers. We talk about him in
all our meetings. We love him, and we adore him. And we promise
and rededicate ourselves over and over and over that we will
from this moment forth live nearer to him and to his promises
and to the blessings which he has given us. I say this to you
with all of our affection and love in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
October 5, 1975 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Spoken from Their Hearts
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Brethren and sisters, it has been a glorious conference
these three days, during these eight sessions. The Brethren have
spoken from their hearts; they brought to our attention many of
the great truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord and
Master.
|p2 We hope that the leaders and the members of the Church who
have attended and listened to the conference have been inspired
and uplifted. We hope you have made copious notes of the
thoughts that have come to your mind as the Brethren have
addressed you. Many suggestions have been given that will help
you as leaders in the perfection of your work. Many helpful
thoughts have been given for the perfection of our own lives,
and that, of course, is the basic reason for our coming.
|p3 While sitting here, I have made up my mind that when I go
home from this conference this night there are many, many areas
in my life that I can perfect. I have made a mental list of
them, and I expect to go to work as soon as we get through with
conference.
|p4 You have heard the Brethren speak with great strength of the
principles of the gospel. You heard Brother Benson in his
inspired sermon tell us that the immutable laws of God remain
steadfast in the heavens above; when men and nations refuse to
abide by them, the penalty must follow. They will be wasted
away. Sin demands punishment. He said further, "Therefore, as
humble servants of the Lord, we call upon the leaders of nations
to be humble and humble themselves before God, to seek his
inspiration and his guidance." That is a bold statement, but
very much in order.
|p5 You heard Elder Thomas S. Monson speak of how the President
of the Council of the Twelve is guided to make changes through
the inspiration of the Lord, so that Elder Monson happened to be
in the right place to give a blessing to a dying child. He told
us how the program unraveled so that he went to this conference,
drove eighty miles out of his way, and met the family that was
soon to bury this little one.
|p6 Did you hear Elder Sill telling of the examples of great and
powerful people who lost their power when they lost their
controls and yielded to the demands of lustful lives? He told
also the story in Pilgrims Progress where a man refused a crown
because he had given his life to raking muck.
|p7 "We have the greatest cause ever known in the world," he
said, "and the only question is how we are going to fight the
battle."
|p8 You heard Elder Cullimore tell of the family home evening
program. How glorious it is! I hope every one of you will go
home and see that you fail not in this glorious program of
home-making. It was brought out in the Relief Society conference
that the evil one knows where to attack. He is going to attack
the home. He is going to try to destroy the family. That is what
he wants to do. And you will see that all these workings of
Satan that have been mentioned by the Brethren as they have
talked to us have a final result of destroying the home, the
family, the parents, the loved ones. That is what this Satan
would like to do. Let us make up our minds he will not do it in
our families.
|p9 You heard of the great missionary work from Elder Tuttle and
others of the Brethren.
|p10 President Romney traced the scriptural history of the
nations on this continent. He told of the Nephites and the
Jaredites and followed the promises made of the Lord, that
whatsoever nation shall possess this land of promise shall be
free from bondage and from captivity and from all other nations
under heaven if they will but serve the God of this land, who is
Jesus Christ. That is said in about as few words as could be put
together, but, oh, how important and far-reaching it is.
|p11 We heard Bishop Featherstone address us on patriotism, and
whether we come from the South Seas, or from South America, or
from Europe, or from Asia, all of us have our leanings; all of
us should be loyal; all of us should appreciate freedom to live
and worship as we please.
|p12 Elder Rector gave an instructive discussion of the Word of
Wisdom, particularly on liquor, and gave some statistics which
were frightening. All our magazines are filled with feeding the
public, feeding the world; and he gave us information that would
go a long way toward feeding the world--if we just didn't put
barley into liquor.
|p13 You heard Brother McConkie say that once or twice in every
thousand years come great blessings. And he went into detail
with them. He talked about the great program that came to us in
this dispensation, as will as many others, in his remarks--the
great program of the restoration of the gospel.
|p14 Elder Hanks talked about the power of fathers over sons,
and what they could do to train them, to teach them, to lead
them.
|p15 You heard Elder Hinckley talk about the flood of
pornographic filth that nearly drowns us and the emphasis
|P112|p1 that is placed on sex and violence. I liked the way he
asked us to encourage the leaders the legislature to make the
proper laws to control these situations--and when they do, to
give them thanks and appreciation, and when they don't to give
them a little nudging.
|p2 Elder Haight said the Church could not function effectively
without declaration, and that to delegate, one needs the
priesthood. The priesthood has come to us and we are prepared to
carry forward.
|p3 I could go on with all the rest of the Brethren. All of
their sermons were exceptionally good. I am sure they have
touched our hearts as we have sat here and listened and prayed.
|p4 I would like to mention the talk Elder Hunter gave us this
morning on the history of this building. I have been here for a
long while. I was born here. But I have never heard that before,
and I was grateful for that beautiful story of the sacrifices
and the labors that these good people, our parents, went through
so that we could sit, in reasonable comfort, at least, in this
great Tabernacle. And how long it has served---a hundred years,
he told us. A hundred years, this building!
|p5 I can imagine that in this building there have been numerous
great sermons by prophets and apostles and other leaders. I can
imagine the numerous prayers, deep and sincere, offered by the
Brethren. I can imagine the succeeding choirs of the years, and
the leaders, and what a great service this building has
rendered. I hope it can last for another hundred years, at
least.
|p6 I think Brother Hunter, telling about missionary work, said
that if they read from this pulpit the names of the people who
were to go on missions, it would take all the rest of the day,
just to name them, because the missionaries we have called this
year would amount to a tabernacle full of people as many as you
here. How would it be if we called all of you on missions?
|p7 I wish there were time to mention some of the other
wonderful sermons, because it helps me to summarize these things
and decide what I have heard, what I want to retain, what I want
to do something about.
|p8 I should like to mention the strong sermon of Brother Perry
regarding marriage. This is a real problem, when we think of
Satan pinpointing the things that will destroy us. That is about
the first thing, isn't it? If we cease marriage and cease home
life, we are done for.
|p9 Well, now, brothers and sisters, this is the gospel of Jesus
Christ, and to all who are listening in, we have not been
fooling. What we have said to you in these three days is truth,
downright truth, and it has a definite bearing upon the
salvation and exaltation of every soul that could listen and
hear.
|p10 This is the gospel of Christ. He is our Lord. This is a
Christian church. We follow him. We love him. We praise him. We
glorify him. And now we must go forward and follow him in every
detail. The gospel has been restored. It is here for us in all
its fulness. Never before has it been so full and so complete,
so comprehensive, never before that we know of in the world. And
here it is, available to us and available to millions of people,
some of whom are listening. We hope they will not make the
mistake of casting it aside or ignoring it. God bless you who
have been listening.
|p11 And God bless all you who are here. May he go with you to
your homes as you return to your families, that peace may be
with you, that your own lives may be wonderful, that your family
lives may be great. And I ask these blessings, and bear
testimony to you of the divinity of the work, that God lives,
that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior, our Redeemer. And that the
way he has planned, the way of life, is right and true in every
particular. And I bear this testimony to you with our great
affection for you, our love, and appreciation. In the name of
Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 3, 1976 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Stone Cut without Hands
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, here we are again in this
historic Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City to
consider matters of importance to the world, to the members, to
ourselves.
|p2 The past few months have been most interesting to us.
|p3 During February and a few days of March we toured the South
Pacific countries and islands of the sea. A large party of
representatives from the Church, including some of those in
highest authority, went to the Southern Hemisphere and spent a
little time with the ever-growing and fast-enlarging communities
of the South Pacific.
|p4 Because a large proportion of the people, the more than
100,000 people in the South Seas, would not ever be able to come
to Salt Lake City to the general conference, we determined to
take an area conference to them. So, in New Zealand, three large
cities of Australia, and Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and Tahiti, we held
conferences for the Saints wherein they would meet the General
Authorities, have an opportunity to vote upon their leaders, and
hear sermons from leading authorities of the Church.
|p5 We were well received, well treated, and returned with a
great affection for the good people of that southland.
|p6 You will be interested to note that the Church is growing
rapidly in many foreign lands. as well as in our own country.
|p7 We now have members of the Church in sixty-six countries,
and we teach the gospel in most of these lands. We have 23,000
plus missionaries, over 2,000 of them local boys and girls from
the nations which they teach.
|p8 When I was made president of a stake in 1938, it was the
124th stake in the world, whereas now we have 750 stakes; and
whereas we had only a little more than a score of missions when
I filled my mission, we now have 134.
|p9 We envelop much of the vast world which we inhabit with
congregations in South America. the Orient, the South Seas,
South Africa, Europe, and many other places. There are numerous
tens of thousands of people who find each year that the gospel
is satisfying to their spiritual needs, and we bring in great
numbers of people.
|p10 Our General Authorities cover the world constantly and
spend their energies trying to take to the new areas and peoples
the training and teachings that are necessary for new members of
the Church.
|p11 Our work for the dead has greatly increased, and with 16
temples the work continues unabated and ever increasing. New
temples have been announced for Sao Paulo, Brazil; Tokyo, Japan;
Seattle, Washington. There will be additional edifices built for
the continuation of this great work for the living and for the
dead.
|p12 We are most grateful for the excellent response by the
people of the Church to our urging that gardens be planted and
that fruit trees be cultivated and our places cleaned up and
made more livable. We fully endorse the program of Governor
Calvin Rampton in Salt Lake City calling for the planting of a
million trees for a million people.
|p13 From Parowan, Utah, we read this: "In laying out the town a
century ago, each family had room for a garden and some fruit
trees in back of their house. Some very fine orchards and
gardens were in the public square, even down to the late
Nineties. I well remember the fine watermelons they used to
produce."
|p14 President Tanner and I visited a Canadian community, and on
a certain street as far as we could see were homes with
beautiful gardens. It was wonderful, and they were varied, and
the products of those gardens were most delicious.
|p15 Everywhere we go we see backyards with beautiful gardens, a
few rows of corn, some carrots, potatoes, onions, squash. In
some places flower gardens have been turned into vegetable
gardens, or they have shared the space.
|p16 Another commendable thing about gardening is the exchange
of products by neighbors and the fostering of fellowship and
neighborliness.
|p17 Another family wrote, "our old rickety barn is down and a
beautiful garden is in its place. Had we realized how proud it
would make us to have a beautiful garden where the old, fallen
barn stood, we should have made the change long ago."
|p18 From another member in a rural area comes this: "The old,
leaning, half-fallen barn is attractive now. It is repaired,
newly painted. We are very proud of it and hope you will drive
by and see the improvement."
|p19 Another party writes, "We live in a large forest area. I
got my boss to go in with me, and we rented a large vacant lot
not far away that had no trees we had it plowed, disked,
fertilized, and did we ever have a garden!"
|p20 In the National Geographic magazine last month, we clipped
a picture |P5|p1 of a woman bringing bottled and canned fruit to
her storage room, which was full of the products of her labors
and was neat and tidy. That's the way the Lord planned that we
should prepare and eat our vegetables.
|p2 On the whole, we are very proud of the success. We learned
that 51 percent of the households in the United States plan a
garden for this year, 1976; and there will be plenty of lids and
canning jars this season. The garden fever has attacked many
people.
|p3 Tomatoes appear to be the most popular vegetable, followed
by leaf lettuce and squash.
|p4 The garden is not only for the saving of funds but for the
satisfying of a hobby desire.
|p5 It is estimated that some 35 million home vegetable gardens
in 1976 will be an increase of 2.5 million over las year, and
that about 41 percent of all American households will do some
home canning this year. That is more than other years. We
commend to you the garden fever.
|p6 If every family had a garden and rural families had a cow
and chickens, some fruit trees, and a garden, it is amazing how
nearly the family could be fed from their own lot.
|p7 We believe in work for ourselves and for our children. We go
to the welfare projects, and there we contribute work hours to
meet our production needs. We should train our children to work,
and they should learn to share the responsibilities of the home
and the yard. They should be given assignments to keep the house
neat and clean, even though it be humble. Children may be given
assignments also to take care of the garden, and this will be
far better than to have them for long hours sitting at a
television.
|p8 Someone has said, "Nobody ever lost his shirt when his
sleeves were rolled up."
|p9 Too much leisure for children leaves them in a state of
boredom, and it is natural for them to want more and more of the
expensive things for their recreation. We must bring dignity to
labor in sharing the responsibilities of the home and the yard.
|p10 From a forest ranger this letter came:
|p11 "In one day 500 of your young adults picked up litter,
rocks, debris, and painted over 400 camp and picnic tables,
bridges, and toilets. Twenty-seven stakes participated in this
project. It was a monumental success. The enthusiasm, vitality,
and giving spirit |P6|p1 showed by this group of hardworking
young people is exemplary of the finest traditions and teachings
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
|p2 It is amazing what our youth can do when given assignments
and direction.
|p3 President Brigham Young said:
|p4 "My faith does not lead me to think the Lord will provide us
with roast pigs, bread already buttered, etc.; he will give us
the ability to raise the grain, to obtain the fruits of the
earth, to make habitations, to procure a few boards to make a
box, and when harvest comes, giving us the grain, it is for us
to preserve it--to save the wheat until we have one, two, five,
or seven years' provisions on hand, until there is enough of the
staff of life saved by the people to bread themselves and those
who will come here seeking for safety. . . .
|p5 "Let Nothing Go To Waste, he counseled. "Take things calm
and easy, pick up, everything, let nothing go to waste. . . .
|p6 "Be prudent, save everything, and what you get more than you
can take care of yourselves, ask your neighbors to help you
consume.
|p7 "Never consider that you have bread enough around you to
suffer your children to waste a crust or a crumb of it. If a man
is worth millions of bushels of wheat and corn, he is not
wealthy enough to suffer his servant girl to sweep a single
kernel of it into the fire; let it be eaten by something and
pass again into the earth, and thus fulfil the purpose for which
it grew. Remember it, do not waste anything, but take care of
everything
|p8 "There is not a family in this city, where there are two
three, four, or five persons, but what can save enough from
their table, from the waste made by the children, and what must
be swept in the fire and out of the door, to make pork
sufficient to last them through the year, or at least all they
should eat.
|p9 "Go to the poorest family in this community, and I will
venture to say that they waste rags enough every year to buy the
school books that are needed for their Children, and do even
more.
|p10 "If you wish to get rich, save what you get. A fool can
earn money; but it takes a wise man to save and dispose of it to
his own advantage.
|p11 "It is to our advantage to take good care of the blessings
God bestows upon us; if we pursue the opposite course, we cut
off the power and glory God designs we should inherit. It is
through our own carefulness, frugality, and judgment which God
has given us, that we are enabled to preserve our grain our
flocks and herds, wives and children, houses and lands, and
increase them around us, continually gaining power and influence
for ourselves as individuals and for the kingdom of God as a
whole. (Discourses of Brigham Young, Deseret Book, 1966 ed., pp.
291-92.)
|p12 With regard to debts, Brigham Young said this:
|p13 "Pay dour debts, we will help you to do so but do not run
into debt any more.
|p14 "Be prompt in everything and especially to pay your debts."
(Discourses, p. 303.)
|p15 We used to preach much about the paying of debts, but these
days we have come into a position where we are encouraged to
spend to buy on time, to buy ahead of time--take next year to
pay.
|p16 In 1830, in Doctrine and Covenants 19:35, the Lord gave a
revelation to Martin Harris: "Pay the debt thou hast contracted
with the printer. Release thyself from bondage."
|p17 "A man who will run into debt, when he has no prospect of
paying it back again does not understand the principles that
should prevail in a well regulated community or he is wilfully
dishonest.
|p18 "A man who will not pay his honest debts is no Latter-day
Saint, if he has the means to pay them.
|p19 "It is bad enough, quite bad enough, to borrow from an
enemy and not to repay him; to do this is beneath the character
of any human being; but all who will borrow from a friend, and
especially from the poor, are undeserving the fellowship of the
Saints if they do not repay. (Discourses, pp. 303-4.)
|p20 In a letter pertaining to a divorce clearance the following
appeared:
|p21 "It appears that the cause of this divorce was financial
irresponsibility on the part of the husband and poor money
management on the part of both the husband and the wife. The
applicant states that she has no knowledge of any unfaithfulness
on the part of her husband. He stated emphatically that he was
never untrue to his wife during their marriage."
|p22 Yet they had such difficulty getting along financially that
they sought to terminate their marriage. Here is a family who
may have been still intact and happy with each other if it had
not been for the lack of a budget carefully worked out and
carefully carried forward.
|p23 We talked to you last conference about a carefully planned
budget for every family. Such will save many family quarrels and
much misunderstanding.
|p24 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I say?" (Luke 6:46.)
|p25 This, a question from the Lord himself, is very strong and
important to us.
|p26 Some may wonder why General Authorities speak of the same
things from conference to conference. As I study the utterances
of the prophets through the centuries, their pattern is very
clear. We seek, in the words of Alma, to teach people "an
everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity." We preach
"repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." (Al. 37:32,
33.) We praise humility. We seek to teach people "to withstand
every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord
Jesus Christ." (Al. 37:33.) We teach our people "to never be
weary of good works." (Al. 37:34.)
|p27 Prophets say the same things because we face basically the
same problems. Brothers and sisters, the solutions to these
problems have not changed. It would be a poor lighthouse that
gave off a different signal to guide every ship entering a
harbor. It would be a poor mountain guide who, knowing the safe
route up a mountainside, took his trusting charges up
unpredictable and perilous paths from which no traveler returns.
|p28 I feel a special urge today to invite all people everywhere
to investigate the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with its
doctrines of salvation and of exaltation.
|p29 To all who hear my voice this day I proclaim in all
sincerity and truth that this, The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, is literally the authorized kingdom of God
upon the earth today.
|p30 The Master and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ himself,
stands at the head of this Church in all his majesty and glory.
He directs his affairs through his divinely appointed and
sustained prophets and apostles.
|p31 As one of the humblest of these, I raise my voice from the
very tops of these beautiful mountains to declare that this
Church of Jesus Christ, commonly referred to as "Mormonism," is
the power of God unto salvation.
|p32 I promise you all in truth that one of the most important
days of your life will be that day on which you determine to
investigate the restored gospel.
|p33 That decision will open to you vast vistas of revealed
gospel truths and countless avenues through which to |P7|p1
develop spirituality and love and peace.
|p2 You will better understand your relationship to Deity. There
will be answered for you the important questions of from whence
you came, why you are here, and where you are going.
|p3 Baptism into Christ's true church by proper authority opens
the doors for exaltation in the eternal kingdoms of glory,
exaltation to be earned by repentance, by living righteously,
keeping the commandments of the Lord, and service to one's
fellowmen.
|p4 The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel for all the world and
for all people. Wa proclaim the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of all mankind. We proclaim the divine sonship of
Jesus Christ and him crucified, that his divine sacrifice was a
ransom for all mankind. We bear witness of his resurrection and
that he lives today, standing at the right hand of God, to guide
the affairs of his earthly kingdom.
|p5 As you investigate the Church of Jesus Christ, you will find
it is not a religion claiming succession from those who shared
Christ's earthly ministry: nor is it a Protestant religion. It
is a divine restoration of Christ's earthly kingdom, organized,
as was his primitive church, with "apostles, prophets, pastors,
teachers, evangelists, etc." (Sixth Article of Faith.)
|p6 In your study of this restored church you will find herein
the divinely restored powers and authorities of the holy
priesthood. By this divine authority, and in no other way, the
saving ordinances of the gospel are performed and are made
binding for all time and eternity. I testify this to all of you
who hear my voice.
|p7 You will find so-called Mormonism to be a growing, vibrant,
dynamic, and challenging church, indeed a way of life, touching
upon every avenue of living, every facet of life.
|p8 By divine commandment we are a proselyting church. More than
23,000 missionaries are abroad in the world to day, unselfishly
giving of their time, means, and talents to spread this message
of the Restoration. They are in most nations of the free world.
Their message is to all mankind everywhere--to the world of the
Catholic, the Protestant, all the so-called Christian world; to
the world of the Hindu, the Buddhist, the Muslim, the Jew, the
Shintoist, the follower of Confucius--to all people of all races
and all creeds.
|p9 We invite all to heed the message of the Latter-day Saint
missionaries. No message you will ever hear will have greater
impact for good in your lives, both here in mortality and in the
hereafter.
|p10 The rewards are priceless for those honest in heart who
seek the truth.
|p11 The Lord said: "Hearken, O ye people . . . to whom the
kingdom has been given; hearken ye and give ear to him who laid
the foundation of the earth, who made the heavens and all the
hosts thereof, and by whom all things were made which live, and
move, and have a being.
|p12 "And again I say, hearken unto my voice, lest death shall
overtake you; in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be
past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.
|p13 "Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is
pleading your cause before him. . . .
|p14 "And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the
world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my
people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a
messenger before my face to prepare the way before me.
|p15 "Wherefore, come ye unto it, and with him that cometh I
will reason as with men in days of old, and I will show unto you
my strong reasoning." (D&C 45:1-3, 9, 10.)
|p16 This is the restored church. This is the kingdom of God
upon the earth, for it is Jesus Christ who organized this
kingdom.
|p17 You will remember the incident when history was young, when
it was in the making. This important area of history was enacted
only 600 or 700 years before Christ, and the Lord saw fit to
reveal, in a rather unusual way, what was to come to pass
thereafter.
|p18 King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had besieged
Jerusalem and had taken prisoner the people of Jerusalem. Among
the captives were Daniel and his brethren. They kept their
standards high and refused to drink with the king and his
people.
|p19 "And in all matters of wisdom," the scripture says, "and
understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten
times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in
all his realm." (Dan. 1:20.)
|p20 King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which he required his
magicians and astrologers and sorcerers to reproduce and then to
interpret. The penalty for any failure on their part was to be
visited upon them, and it was a death sentence if they could not
show the dream and the interpretation thereof. They pled for
time to convince the king that there was no man living who could
bring back the dream and its interpretation.
|p21 King Nebuchadnezzar was furious and commanded the
destruction of these wise men of Babylon.
|p22 The inspired Daniel desired of the king that they would
give him time, and he, Daniel, would interpret the dream. And
then he says:
|P8|p1 "Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night
vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven." (Dan. 2:19.)
|p2 And Daniel, the inspired one, praised the Lord and said:
|p3 "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom
and might are his:
|p4 "And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth
kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding:
|p5 "He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is
in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
|p6 "I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers,
who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me
now what we desired of thee." (Dan. 2:20-23.)
|p7 And now with a knowledge of the future as revealed, Daniel
begged for the lives of the soothsayers and the wise.
|p8 Taken before the king, he was asked,
|p9 "Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have
seen, and the interpretation thereof?" (Dan. 2:26.)
|p10 And Daniel said the king's secret could not be interpreted
and revealed by the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians,
and the soothsayers of the king:
|p11 "But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and
maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the
latter days." (Dan. 2:28.)
|p12 Daniel said to the king that his dream was a portrayal of
the history of the world. Then came the picture of the great
image with head of fine gold, and breast and arms of silver, and
belly and thighs of brass, and legs of iron, and feet of iron
and clay. Then the revelation continued:
|p13 "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands,
which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay,
and brake them to pieces." (Dan. 2:34.)
|p14 And the various elements of which the image was made were
broken into pieces and "became like the chaff of the summer
threshing floors; and the wind carried them away." The wind had
carried away the destroyed elements, "and the stone that smote
the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."
(Dan. 2:35.)
|p15 Then came the interpretation.
|p16 Nebuchadnezzar represented the king of kings, a world
power, representing the head of gold.
|p17 Another kingdom would arise and take over world dominion.
|p18 The interpretation included the domination of other
kingdoms. Cyrus the great, with his Medes and Persians, would be
replaced by the Greek or Macedonian kingdom under Philip and
Alexander; and that world power would be replaced by the Roman
Empire; and Rome would be replaced by a group of nations of
Europe represented by the toes of the image.
|p19 With the history of the world delineated in brief, now came
the real revelation. Daniel said:
|p20 "And in the days of these kings [that is, the group of
European nations] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,
which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be
left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume
all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
|p21 "Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron,
the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God
hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter:
and the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure."
(Dan. 2:44-45.)
|p22 This is a revelation concerning the history of the world,
when one world power would supersede another until there would
be numerous smaller kingdoms to share the control of the earth.
And it was in the days of these kings that power would not be
given to men, but the God of heaven would set up a kingdom--the
kingdom of God upon the earth, which should never be destroyed
nor left to other people.
|p23 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was
restored in 1830 after numerous revelations from the divine
source; and this is the kingdom, set up by the God of heaven,
that would never be destroyed nor superseded, and the |P9|p1
stone cut out of the mountain without hands that would become a
great mountain and would till the whole earth.
|p2 History unfolded and the world powers came and went after
ruling the world for a little season, but in the early
nineteenth century the day had come. The new world of America
had been discovered and colonized and was being settled.
Independence had been gained and a constitution approved and
freedom given to men, and people were now enlightened to permit
truth to be established and to reign.
|p3 No king or set of rulers could divine this history; but a
young, pure, and worthy prophet could receive a revelation from
God.
|p4 There was purpose for this unveiling of the history of the
world so that the honest in heart might be looking forward to
its establishment, and numerous good men and women, knowing of
the revelations of God and the prospects for the future, have
looked forward to this day.
|p5 It came about in a regular, normal process. An inspired,
fourteen-year-old boy had difficulty learning from the
scriptures alone what the future was. In a dense grove of trees
he sought the Lord and prayed for wisdom.
|p6 The time had come, and though the adversary, Satan,
recognizing all the powers of eternity which would be revealed
with the gospel, did everything in his power to destroy the lad
and destroy the prospects of the Restoration--in spite of him
there came the splendid and magnificent vision to this pure,
inquiring lad. Exerting all his powers, and with the strength of
the Lord, the darkness was dispelled. Satan yielded and the
vision proceeded, with a pillar of light coming exactly over the
boy's head--a light above the brightness of the sun, which
gradually descended until it fell upon him. The young Joseph
continues:
|p7 "It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from
the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I
saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all
description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake
unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the
other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith 2:17.)
|p8 This formal introduction by the Father to the Son was most
important, for this would be the world of Jesus Christ and the
Church of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
|p9 Questions were asked and answered, and eternal truths were
given. It was made clear to the young, unspoiled Joseph that if
he retained his worthiness and kept clean before the Lord, he
would he responsible for the restoration of the Church and the
gospel and the power and authority of God.
|p10 As maturity came to the young, unsullied man, there came
also a flood, a deluge of ministrations from heaven. Commissions
were given; authority was bestowed; information was given; and
the revelations from on high continued almost without
interruption, for the time had come. Conditions were ripe; many
people were ready to receive the truth in its fulness.
|p11 In quick succession there came other visitors. Peter,
James, and John--men who last held the keys of the kingdom, the
power of the priesthood, and the blessings of eternity--appeared
to the young man and restored the power and authority which they
had held on earth.
|p12 John the Baptist, beheaded by Herod but now a resurrected
being, returned to the earth and laid hands on the Prophet
Joseph to give him the Aaronic Priesthood.
|p13 The great Moses of antiquity returned to the earth, a
celestial being, and restored the keys of the gathering of
Israel.
|p14 Elijah, the prophet of the eternal work for the dead,
returned to make way and prepare for the great temple work and
for the restoration of the gospel to those who had died without
an opportunity to hear it.
|p15 The organizers of the Church we told by the Lord:
|p16 "No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and
revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith,
Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses." (D&C 28:2.)
|p17 And the prophet Moroni appeared unto Joseph and spent long
hours explaining the peopling of the American continents by the
Lehites and also the Book of Mormon, which would be unearthed
and translated. This book would be a further testimony of the
coming of Christ to America and would give testimony that Jesus
was the Christ, the Eternal God, for both Jew and gentile. This
record, the Book of Mormon, would help to establish the divinity
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
|p18 These were the beginnings of accomplishment; and the gospel
was revealed, line upon line and precept upon precept, and
truths were restored, and power was given and authority was
revealed, and gradually enough light and enough people were
there for the organization of this kingdom of Go which Daniel
saw two and a half millennia ago.
|p19 The Church was organized. Small it was, with only six
members, compared to the stone cut out of the mountain without
hands which would break in pieces other nations and which would
roll forth and fill the whole earth.
|p20 Rough days were ahead for the little kingdom. Prophets were
assassinated. Persecutions and drivings have taken place and
have vexed the fast-growing little church. A great exodus to the
mountains of the West was directed by revelation. The
colonization of the West occurred. Great tribulations were
suffered. Blood was spilled. Hunger has taken its lives, but
today the stone rolls forth to fill the earth.
|p21 Twenty-three thousand young missionaries proclaim these
truths to thousands of people in their home areas. The gospel
spreads to the nations of the earth in its approach toward the
promise made by God through Daniel to fill the whole earth, and
numerous people of all nationalities and tongues are accepting
the gospel in many nations, and the Church and kingdom grow and
develop, and we say to you and testify to you that it shall, in
Daniel's words, "never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not
be left to other people . . . but it shall stand forever." (Dan
2:44.)
|p22 Numerous revelations have made clear to the members that
eternal life, which is their goal, is available by having the
ordinances performed and then by living the commandments of God.
|p23 We give these truths to you, not in arrogance or worldly
pride, but with a deep sincerity and a kindly offer--the gospel
without price, the gospel of truth, the gospel of salvation and
exaltation.
|p24 I know it is true. I know it is divine. I know it is the
little stone that was cut out of a mountain without hands. I
know it will fill the earth as prophesied and commanded by the
Savior Jesus Christ when, in his last moments on earth, he said
to his eleven apostles, "Go ye into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature"--to every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people. (See Mark 16:15.) I know it is true from the birth of
Adam to the days of Daniel to the days of Joseph Smith and to
this day. I know it is true and divine. We offer it to you
without price. We promise to you life eternal if you will follow
its precepts strictly. And I bear this witness to you in the
name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 3, 1976 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Boys Need Heroes Close By
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 In the long decades that I have been coming to conference, I
have been greatly impressed by the large number of young
men--boys--who have come with their fathers. I have noticed time
after time certain men who have grown in the Church, who have
brought all their sons with them, whether there were four or six
or eight or ten, and they have enjoyed this meeting together.
|p2 This prompted my reading some lines that you may have heard
before:
|p3 Only a Dad
|p4 ...But the Best of Men.
Only a dad, with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race;
Bringing little of gold and fame
To show how well he has played the
game,
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice To
see him come home and to hear his
voice.
|p5 Only a dad, of a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more,
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and scorns of life
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.
|p6 Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd,
Toiling, striving, from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way;
Silent, whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them.
|p7 Only a dad, but he gives his all
To smooth the way for his children small;
Doing, with courage stern and grim,
The deeds that his father did for him.
These are the lines that for him I pen;
Only a dad, but the best of men.
|p8 (Author Unknown. Source Book of Poetry, Al Bryant,
comp.; Grand Rapids, Zondewan Publishing House, 1968.)
|p9 I hope that every boy that is present tonight feels that way
about his father and expresses to his father his affection for
him and how grateful he is to have a dad that is faithful and
true and dependable.
|p10 We hope, as sons, husbands, fathers, and grandfathers, that
you, as holders of the priesthood, will be considerate and
thoughtful of your sisters, your mothers, your wives, your
grandmothers. The priesthood presides in the home, but it must
preside as Jesus Christ presides over his Church--in love, in
service, in tenderness, and in example.
|p11 The Lord has given to all of us, as holders of the
priesthood, certain of his authority, but we can only tap the
powers of heaven on the basis of our personal righteousness.
Thus, for the power of the priesthood to truly be felt in a
family requires the righteousness of the men and young men
therein. We call to the attention of all our priesthood bearers
that our relationship with our wives, mothers, and sisters is
one in which we kneel together, whether at the altars of the
temple or in our own homes; we serve together, side by side, a
beautiful partnership.
|p12 We are concerned, brethren, with our need to provide
continually significant opportunities for our young men to
stretch their souls in service. Young men do not usually become
inactive in the Church because they are given too many
significant things to do. No young man who has really witnessed
for himself that the gospel works in the lives of the people
will walk away from his duties in the kingdom and leave them
undone. We hope our bishoprics, who have a special stewardship
in this regard, will see to it they have effective quorum
activities and active youth committees. As our young men learn
quorum management, they are not only blessing the Aaronic
Priesthood youth in those quorums, but they are preparing
themselves as future fathers and future leaders for the
Melchizedek Priesthood quorums. They need some experience in
leadership, some experience in service projects, some experience
in speaking, some experience in conducting meetings, and some
experience in how to build proper relationships with young
women.
|p13 We are rearing a royal generation--thousands of whom sit
with us here tonight--who have special things to do. We need to
provide them with special experiences in studying scriptures, in
serving their neighbors, and in being contributing and loving
members of their families. All of this requires, of course, time
for planning and time to implement--anything but the casualness
we sometimes see on the part of some fathers and adult leaders.
We have reasons to believe, brethren, that the impact of the
world on our LDS youth is not only greater than it has ever
been, but that it comes sooner than it has come in the past.
Thus, we must do our work better and sooner!
|p14 We are concerned, brethren, over the mounting number of
divorces not only in our society, but also in the Church. We are
just as concerned with those whose families and marriages seem
to be held together in "quiet |P46|p1 desperation." Those who
are careful and thoughtful in courtship will usually be careful
and thoughtful in marriage. Those who thoughtfully enter the
House of the Lord to be sealed for time and eternity are much
less likely to experience divorce and difficulty, not only
because of the influence of that sealing ceremony, but because
usually they are better prepared for marriage in the first
place. They have not only their young love for each other, but a
common bond of love for the gospel of Jesus Christ which they
knew before they knew each other. They also have some sense of
the spirit of sacrifice and selflessness which underlies every
happy marriage in countless ways.
|p2 We urge you as leaders, fathers, husbands, and sons to
develop even more your capacity to communicate with each other
in your families, in your quorums, in your wards, and in your
communities. Accept the reality that personal improvement on the
part of each priesthood holder is expected by our Father in
heaven. We should be growing and we should be developing
constantly, If we do, others will sense the seriousness of our
discipleship and can then more easily forgive us our frailties
which we sometimes show in the way in which we lead and manage.
|p3 It is most appropriate for Aaronic Priesthood youth, as well
as Melchizedek Priesthood men, to quietly, and with
determination, set some serious personal goals in which they
will seek to improve by selecting certain things that they will
accomplish within a specified period of time. Even if the
priesthood holders of our Heavenly Father are headed in the
right direction, if they are men without momentum they will have
too little influence. You are the leaven on which the world
depends; you must use your powers to stop a drifting and aimless
world.
|p4 We hope we can help our young men and young women to
realize, even sooner than they do now, that they need to make
certain decisions only once. I have mentioned at this pulpit
before some determinations made early in my life, which
decisions were such a help to me because I did not have to
remake those decisions perpetually. We can push some things away
from us once and have done with them! We can make a single
decision about certain things that we will incorporate in our
lives and then make them ours--without having to brood and
redecide a hundred times what it is we will do and what we will
not do.
|p5 Indecision and discouragement are climates in which the
Adversary lives to function, for he can inflict so many
casualties among mankind in those settings. My young brothers,
if you have not done so yet, decide to decide!
|p6 We hope you will make no less effort to fellowship those
members and prospective members who are tradesmen and craftsmen.
We must never come to feel in the Church that those who labor in
the crafts and skills have somehow done less than they should.
We are grateful, of course, for the many professional men in the
Church and for those who are thought of as being in our
white-collar occupations; but I want us to reach out more than
we now do for the men--young and old--who labor in the so-called
blue-collar skills, which are more essential to our society than
many realize. Indeed, some of these skills are in short supply!
Let us reach out in a special way to these men, for among them
are many of our prospective elders whose strength and skills we
need and whose families will fully affiliate only if these men
come and join us in greater numbers.
|p7 Let us be careful about piling extra costs upon our members.
Priesthood leaders should particularly be careful, as many of
our members are experiencing economic difficulties, that
sacrifice, which will always be a part of the kingdom, does not
lay unnecessary costs and expenditures upon the basic
requirements of tithing, fast offerings, building funds,
budgets, etc.
|p8 For those of us who are older--who have, so to speak, grown
up when the Church was at Winter Quarters in its progress--let
us not lose the "Winter Quarters" habit of starting crops to be
harvested by those who follow. Let us be pioneers (for our
people yet to be born) by planting the wheat of our witness,
that those who follow us may eat of the bread of belief in time
of famine elsewhere in the world!
|p9 I have enjoyed so much what has been said by those who have
spoken thus far. I am impressed that our various Church programs
are like keys on the keyboard of a piano. Some of the keys are
used much more often than others, but all of them are needed
from time to time to produce harmony and balance in our lives.
So often, therefore, what we are doing in our various talks and
meetings is to remind ourselves of the need for balance, the
need for fresh emphasis here or there, and the need to do the
things that matter most without leaving the other things undone.
|p10 Please do your duties as citizens of your communities,
states, and nations. Uphold and sustain the law. Work within the
law to be an influence for that which is good, as the Prophet
Joseph Smith counseled us.
|p11 Please avoid, even by implication, involving the Church in
political issues. It is so easy, if we are not careful, to
project our personal preferences as the position of the Church
on the issue.
|p12 Develop spiritual strength in yourself, and there will be
felicity in the family. Righteousness proceeds outward from the
individual to the group. We will find that if we are converted
(through studying, searching, and praying), our immediate desire
is to want to help others. True conversion causes us to want to
reach out to the living and to the deceased to do what we can to
help in each case. If we are truly converted, we will also want
to provide for our own in the fullness of what welfare service
means.
|p13 When the Savior said, "When thou art converted, strengthen
they brethren" |P47|p1 (Luke 22:32), he was reminding us not
only of an obligation we have, but also of the reality that we
really can't strengthen our brethren much until we are
personally converted.
|p2 No father, no son, no mother, no daughter should get so busy
that he or she does not have time to study the scriptures and
the words of modern prophets. None of us should get so busy that
we crowd out contemplation and praying. None of us should become
so busy in our formal Church assignments that there is no room
left for quiet Christian service to our neighbors.
|p3 "Boys need lots of heroes like Lincoln and Washington. But
they also need to have some heroes close by. They need to know
some man of towering strength and basic integrity, personally.
They need to meet them on the street, to hike and camp with
them, to see them in close-to-home, everyday, down-to-earth
situations; to feel close enough to them to ask questions and to
talk things over man-to-man with them." (Walter MacPeek)
|p4 I sincerely hope that every father provides that kind of
closeness to his boys. Much of this could be taken care of in
the regular home evening.
|p5 Bishops, never encourage your members to get a divorce.
Encourage them to be reconciled, to adjust their lives, their
own personal lives generally.
|p6 Do you know of someone who has been convicted of a felony?
If so, he should get it cleared if possible, or it will affect
his life forever.
|p7 The youth of the Church should realize that they do not need
to be old men, long experienced, to receive the blessings of the
Church. Joseph Smith was only 14 when he had the Vision, 25 when
the Church was organized, 18 when he met Moroni, 24 when he got
the plates, and 39 when he was martyred.
|p8 Thomas B. Marsh was 31, David W. Patten 30, about the time
they became apostles. They were all young men, so to speak.
|p9 Brigham Young was 28, Heber C. Kimball 28, Orson Hyde only
25, William E. McLellan 24, Parley P. Pratt 23, Luke Johnson 22,
William Smith 19, Orson Pratt 18, John F. Boynton 18, and Lyman
E. Johnson 18, when the Church was organized on April 6, 1830.
And these men, many of the, were of the apostleship in `835 when
the Council of the Twelve was organized. All were still young
men when they were deprived of Joseph.
|p10 They were able to inspire boys. They became great
missionaries. You young boys need not wait to be great. You can
be superior missionaries, strong young men, great companions,
and happy, trusted Church leaders. You need not wait until
tomorrow.
|p11 The Lord bless you as you grow year by year to receive the
inspiration of the Lord to be able to pass on the glorious
blessings of the gospel.
|p12 And this, my dear beloved brethren, I pray in the name of
Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 6, 1976 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Seeking Eternal Riches
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brothers and sisters, after four days of conference
meetings, we now approach the close of this general conference.
It has been a time of rejoicing, for we have seen numerous of
our beloved brothers and sisters from many countries all over
the globe. It is a great joy to see them again and to realize
the growth and development that have come to their people.
|p2 We hope that the conference has brought to the people
generally a stirring toward spirituality, and we recall that the
Lord said, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26.)
|p3 Very early in his ministry the Lord said, "What seekest
thou?" He was referring to the incentive prompting the seeking
of wealth, worldly honors, praises, riches, and honor, or the
eternal riches of the soul. What is he profited? Thus the Lord
has made a vibrant contrast between the honors of the world and
the honors which can come to the soul. He names vividly the
contrast between the things of the world and the things that are
related to heavenly desires and accomplishments.
|p4 We reiterate over and over the exhortation of the Christ
when he admonished his hearers to "seek ye first the kingdom of
God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you." (Matt. 6:33.)
|p5 This, then, is the paramount issue which brings large
numbers of people from all over the world to prepare for this
choice--the material or the spiritual possessions.
|p6 The sermons of this conference have emphasized the fact
which leading statesmen and clear-thinking educators and the
public generally refer to as an apparent spiritual poverty of
the present age and a decline in those moral and ethical
standards.
|p7 We hope this is not true, but we stand four-square against
any increase in the breakdown of our high standards and family
life and community life.
|p8 Some years ago a British jet plane crossed and recrossed the
Atlantic Ocean in a short few hours. Shortly thereafter a
cartoon appeared in the New York Times which pictured the jet
plane traveling at a fantastic speed. The plane was labeled
"Man's Scientific Progress." On the ground was a huge turtle,
moving slowly and ponderously. It was labeled "Man's Moral
Progress."
|p9 One writer added this:
|p10 "In a vivid way this cartoon symbolizes what could be the
tragedy of the modern age, and what is without doubt one of the
most compelling reasons for greater attention to moral and
spiritual values in our homes and in our schools."
|p11 That is why we stress the family home evening in every home
every week, that we may be able to guide and inspire and train
and give leadership to the thoughts toward spiritual growth and
religious inspiration.
|p12 One writer said, "How far have we come in man's long
pilgrimage from darkness toward the light? Are we nearing the
light, the day of freedom, of peace, for all mankind, or are the
shadows of another night closing in upon us?"
|p13 We, the members of the Church, proclaim our liberty and our
renewal of our faith and our assurance that we do have control
in our own families and can rear our children to love truth and
to be happy in the deathless dignity of man, governed by the
eternal and moral laws of God.
|p14 In the various countries, and especially in America, we are
developing a great membership of professional and skilled men.
However, we also have many good leaders and members who mine
coal, and fire furnaces, and balance ledgers, and turn lathes,
and pick cotton, and cultivate orchards, and heal the sick and
plant corn, all proudly and profitably.
|p15 The enemies of faith know no God but force, no devotion but
the use of force. They tutor men in treason; they feed upon the
hunger of others. Whatever defies them, they torture, especially
the truth. So we move forward, all the earth around, with clear
vision and sound judgment and rededicate our homes and our
families to high moral and spiritual values.
|p16 Therefore, since the hone is the basis for the nation, we
move forward to see that our children are taught and trained and
controlled, since they are the most precious possession we have;
and we teach them to walk uprightly and to become worthy
citizens of the kingdom of God.
|p17 We recognize the fact that the teaching of religion and
morality certainly is the work of the parents of the children.
It is the responsibility of the fathers and mothers.
|p18 We now invite you to return to the October general
conference when we shall reemphasize the basic themes which have
been taught so well and plainly in this conference.
|p19 We shall continue to put in order and keep in that
condition our homes, our families; and also we will continue to
spread the gospel to the nations of |P108|p1 the world.
|p2 If you were to find that termites were undermining the
foundation of your house, your home, you would lose no time in
having the building examined and the destruction terminated by
exterminating the insects.
|p3 Far more important are the destructive elements that would
enter your home, your family.
|p4 We agree with Pestalozzi:
|p5 "Our home joys are the most delightful earth affords, and
the joy of parents in their children is the most holy joy of
humanity. It makes their hearts pure and good, it lifts them up
to their Father in heaven."
|p6 You and I well understand that this great, superior joy lies
well within the realm of every set of parents, if they have
properly performed their marriage and their family
responsibilities and if high ideals of marriage and family life
have prevailed.
|p7 Slander, backbiting, evil speaking, faultfinding are all
destructive termites that destroy the home. Quarreling and
swearing are also evils that sometimes affect the home.
|p8 George Washington st us a good example in this regard. When
he learned that some of his officers were given to profanity, he
sent a letter to them on July 1, 1776, from which we quote:
|p9 "The General is sorry to be informed that the foolish and
wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice
heretofore little known in our American army, is growing into
fashion. He hopes the officers will, by example as well as
influence, endeavor to check it and that both they and the men
will reflect that we can have little hope of the blessing of
heaven on our arms if we insult it by our impropriety and folly.
Added to this, it is a vice so mean and low, without any
temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and
despises it."
|p10 Most parents will agree with this quote from a favorite
author:
|p11 "Every period of human life is wonderful--the irresponsible
age of childhood, the thrilling years of adolescence and
courtship, the productive, fighting, burden-bearing era of
parenthood; but the most wonderful time of life comes when the
father and mother become chums of their grown- up, successful
sons and daughters and begin to enjoy their children's children.
|p12 "Youth is confined with restrictions, limitations,
schedules, combinations. Adolescence is full of mysteries,
longings, and defeats. Early fatherhood is absorbed in struggles
and in the solution of problems. Extreme old age is shadowed by
eternal mysteries, but middle age and normal old age, if life
has been rightly and fully lived, are filled with the thrills,
not merely of success, but of companionship with children and
grandchildren."
|p13 As we speak of the family, which is so basic to our joy and
happiness, we read further from R. J. Sprague:
|p14 "Every normal individual should complete the full cycle of
human life with all its joys and satisfactions in natural
order--childhood, adolescence, youth, parenthood, middle age and
the age of grandchildren. Each age has satisfaction which can be
known only by experience. You must be born again and again in
order to know the full course of human happiness. When the first
baby is born, a mother is born and a father is born and
grandparents are born. Only by birth can any of these come into
being. Only by the natural cycle of life can the great
progressive joys of mankind be reached.
|p15 "Any social system which prevents the individual from
pursuing the normal cycle of life, from marrying young, from
rearing a family before the age of fifty or so and from
obtaining the deep, peculiar joys of middle life and
grandparenthood, defeats the divine order of the universe and
lays the basis of all sorts of social problems."
|p16 We continue:
|p17 "When a young man and woman of the right biological type
marry in the early twenties and are prepared to earn a living
and support and rear a family, they have started in the normal
cycle of life. They are likely to give society far fewer
problems of crime, immorality, divorce or poverty than are their
unmarried companions. They will have children and rear them
while they are strong, enjoy them when they are grown-up and
successful, depend upon them in weakness and profit by the
finest type of old age insurance ever invented by man or God, an
insurance which pays its annuities in material goods when
necessary, but which mainly pays in the rich joys of love and
fellowship. . . . The crowning joys of human experience will
come in middle age and onward through the companionship, love
and honor of children and grandchildren."
|p18 It is our hope, then, that all the members of the Church
will see to it that their own lives are put in order, that they
may enjoy these cycles of life.
|p19 And now as we come to the end of this great conference,
may we remind our people once more, let us put our shoulder to
the wheel and see to it that all leaders comply with the gospel
of Christ and teach it to their people so that it will be
broadcast widespread and world-encircling. We shall move forward
brothers and sisters, to live a life of worthiness. We shall pay
our tithes and offerings; we shall attend the temple and look
after the genealogical data for our dead. We shall hold our home
evenings with absolute regularity and efficiency. We shall teach
our children righteousness. We shall send our sons worthily on
missions. We shall attend to our own responsibilities in
teaching our neighbors the gospel and warning them.
|p20 The Lord gave to us in the beginning of this dispensation:
|p21 "Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him
who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men; yea, verily
I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the
islands of the sea, listen together.
|p22 "For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and
there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see,
neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be
penetrated.
|p23 "And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for
their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their
secret acts shall be revealed.
|p24 "And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the
mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days. .
. .
|p25 "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the
Lord is nigh;
|p26 "And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is
bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the
earth.
|p27 "And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day
cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord,
neither the voice of her servants, neither give heed to the
words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among
the people [And I would like to say here that through the days
of this conference we have heard many, many testimonies by the
prophets and the apostles and the servants of the Lord,]; . . .
|p28 "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but
every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own
God, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose
substance is that of an idol, which |P109|p1 waxeth old and
shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall
fall. . . .
|p2 "The weak things of the world shall come forth and break
down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his
fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh--
|p3 "But every man might speak in the name of God the Lord."
(D&C 1:1-4, 12-14, 16, 19-20.)
|p4 I would like to conclude with a thought about Job, whose
wife came to him with a tempting suggestion.
|p5 "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine
integrity? curse God, and die.
|p6 "But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish
women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God,
and shall we not receive evil? . . .
|p7 "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is
in my nostrils.
|p8 "My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter
deceit.
|p9 "God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not
remove mine integrity from me.
|p10 "My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my
heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. . . .
|p11 "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath
gained, when God taketh away his soul?" (Job 2:9-10; 27:3-6, 8.)
|p12 And then as I have heard the many sermons throughout this
conference, a number of times Matthew 16 has been quoted. I
would like to quote it once more, for the repetition will
strengthen us.
|p13 "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of
man am?
|p14 "And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
|p15 "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?"
|p16 And Simon Peter was the spokesman. He answered and said,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt.
16:13-16.)
|p17 There are a half a hundred special witnesses in this room
this day. There are tens of thousands of men under the sound of
my voice, all of whom would, in one great chorus, answer that
question-- "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
|p18 And then the Lord could say to every one of the thousands
of us, "Blessed are thou, my son, For flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven hath
revealed it unto thee.
|p19 And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, James, or John,
or Bill, or Sam, and upon this rock of revelation--not the rock
of Peter, because the Church could not be established on the
life of any man, but on the rock of revelation-- have I revealed
this unto thee that Jesus is the Christ.
|p20 "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven." (See Matt. 16:17-19.)
|p21 And that is my testimony to you, my brothers and sisters,
as we conclude this marvelous conference where we have all
rejoiced so much together. My testimony is that whatsoever can
be bound on earth can be bound in heaven by the authority and
the power than has been given to the servants of the Lord. The
Twelve Apostles were given it in those early days. It is given
to them again today. Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven. The keys of the kingdom are upon the earth. We
know that the Lord wishes us to use them to open the doors to
move forward and to carry forward the work of our Savior as we
make our special efforts. And I bear this testimony to you and
ask the blessings of the Lord to be upon you in your homeward
travel, that you may be protected and safe, and that the message
of this conference may sink deep into your hearts and last
forever, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 3, 1976 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
Family Preparedness
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Brethren and sisters, I commend to you the excellent
addresses that have been given here this morning by Sister
Barbara Smith, president of the Relief Society, and the
Brethren.
|p2 As I listened to their addresses, I kept thinking over and
over of something the Savior said, "Why call ye me Lord, Lord,
and do not the things which I say?" It rolled over and over and
over in my mind: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say?" (Luke 6:46.)
|p3 There are many people in the Church today who have failed to
do, and continue to argue against doing, the things that are
requested and suggested by this great organization.
|p4 The Lord said also, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21.) And I
was thinking that there are as many wards and branches in the
Church as there are people in this room, one for one. And what
great accomplishment there would be if every bishop and every
branch president in all the world, wherever it's possible (of
course there are a few places where this is not permitted), had
a storage such as has been suggested here this morning--and took
to their three or four or five hundred members the same message,
quoting scripture and insisting that the people of their wards
and branches do the things the Lord has requested, for we know
that there are many who are failing.
|p5 And then I hear them argue, "Well, suppose we do put away a
lot and then someone comes and takes it from us, our neighbors
who do not believe." That's been answered this morning.
|p6 And so my feeling is today that we emphasize these two
scriptures: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of
my Father which is in heaven." And the other: "Why call ye me,
Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
|p7 Think of the number of people represented here this day by
the stake presidents, mission presidents, and others who are
directors, who have many people under them. Our 750 stakes--all
of them including hundreds, sometimes thousands, of members--
could show the power that we have, if we go to work and actually
push this matter until it is done. We talk about it, we listen
to it, but sometimes we do not do the things which the Lord
says.
|p8 Brethren and sisters, we've gathered here this morning to
consider the important program which we must never forget nor
put in the background. As we become more affluent and our bank
accounts enlarge, there comes a feeling of security, and we feel
sometimes that we do not need the supply that has been suggested
by the Brethren. It lies there and deteriorates, we say. And
suppose it does? We can reestablish it. We must remember that
conditions could change and a year's supply of basic commodities
could be very much appreciated by us or others. So we would do
well to listen to what we have been told and to follow it
explicitly.
|p9 The story came from England during their siege of strikes,
power blackouts, and three-day work weeks. A shop in a small
British town carried a banner on its front window: "By candle
power, batter power, and willpower, we will open six days a
week." That willpower apparently is the most important.
|p10 There are some countries which prohibit savings or
surpluses. We do not understand it, but it is true. And we
honor, obey, and sustain the laws of the country which is ours.
(See Twelfth Article of Faith.) Where it is permitted, though,
which is most of the world, we should listen to the counsel of
the Brethren and to the Lord.
|p11 Recognizing that the family is the basic unit of both the
Church and society generally, we call upon Latter-day Saints
everywhere to strengthen and beautify the home with renewed
effort in these specific areas: food production, preservation,
storage; the production and storage of nonfood items; fixup and
cleanup of homes and surroundings. We wish to say another word
about this in the next meeting.
|p12 We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can
on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit
trees--plant them if your climate is right for their growth.
Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard. Even those
residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a
little food in pots and planters. Study the best methods of
providing your own foods. Make your garden as neat and
attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your
home, involve them in the process with assigned
responsibilities.
|p13 What President Romney has just said is basic. Children
should learn to work. Parents should not spend their nights and
days trying to find something to interest their children. They
should find something to occupy them and get them busy doing
something that is |P125|p1 worthwhile.
|p2 Develop your skills in your home preservation and storage.
We reaffirm the previous counsel the Church has always given, to
acquire and maintain a year's supply--a year's supply of the
basic commodities for us. And Brother Featherstone has pretty
well outlined those commodities for us.
|p3 Wherever possible, produce your nonfood necessities of life.
Improve your sewing skills; sew and mend clothing for your
family. All the girls want to learn to type, they all want to go
to an office. They don't seem to want to sew anymore, and to
plant and protect and renew the things that they use. Develop
handicraft skills as the sisters have told us, and make or build
needed items.
|p4 We encourage families to have on hand this year's supply;
and we say it over and over and over and repeat over and over
the scripture of the Lord where He says, "Why call ye me, Lord,
Lord, and do not the things which I say?" How empty it is as
they put their spirituality, so-called, into action and call him
by his important names, but fail to do the things which he says.
|p5 Keep in good repair and beautify your homes, your yards,
farms and businesses. Repair the fences. Clean up and paint
where needed. Keep your lawns and your gardens well-groomed.
Whatever your circumstance, let your premises reflect
orderliness, beauty, and happiness. Plan well and carry out your
plan in an orderly and systematic manner.
|p6 Avoid debt. We used to talk about that a great deal, but
today everything is seemingly geared toward debt. "Get your
cards, and buy everything on time": you're encouraged to do it.
But the truth is that we don't need to do it to live.
|p7 From local sources seek out reliable information on food and
nonfood preservation. If additional information is needed,
priesthood and Relief Society leaders may write, "Home
Production and Storage," 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake
City, Utah 84150, and get all the information you need. We
encourage all Latter-day Saint families to become self-reliant
and independent. The greatness of a people and of a nation
begins in the home. Let us dedicate ourselves to strengthening
and beautifying the home in every way we can.
|p8 It was Paul who wrote, "Neither did we eat any man's bread
for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day,
that we might not be chargeable to any of you.
|p9 "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that
if any would not work, neither should he eat.
|p10 "For we hear that there are some which walk among you
disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
|p11 "Now them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord
Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own
bread." (2 Thess. 3:8, 10-12.)
|p12 "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for
those of he own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse
[worse!] than an infidel." (1 Tim. 5:8.)
|p13 I'm so grateful for the inspiration of the Brethren who
have helped once again to fasten our attention on the particular
matters involved in the Priesthood Welfare Program. I appreciate
the long-time devotion and leadership of President Romney in
this important cause. I cannot think of the Priesthood Welfare
Program and how we would do things without him.
|p14 The Lord's way builds individual self-esteem and develops
and heals the dignity of the individual, whereas the world's way
depresses the individual's view of himself and causes deep
resentment.
|p15 The Lord's way causes the individual to hasten his efforts
to become economically independent again, even though he may
have temporary need, because of special conditions, for help and
assistance. The world's way deepens the individual's dependency
on welfare programs and tends to make him demand more rather
than encouraging him to return to economic independence.
|p16 The Lord's way helps our members get a testimony for
themselves about the gospel of work. For work is important to
human happiness as well as productivity. The world's way,
however, places greater and greater emphasis on leisure and upon
the avoidance of work.
|p17 Now please be careful, brethren, that we do all that we do
within the law of the land, wherever we are.
|p18 Let us become efficient in our production operations, so
that we don't merely go through the motions of having welfare
farms. The time will come when we will need all the products and
more from our projects--even more than we do now.
|p19 Do what you can to make our |P126|p1 projects economically
viable, so that we don't rationalize that the welfare project is
good simply because it gets men together. Even though it is good
for the priesthood to labor side by side, we can have the
brotherhood of labor and the economic efficiency too.
|p2 We must ever remind ourselves and all members of the Church
to keep the law of the fast. We often have our individual
reasons for fasting. But I hope members won't hesitate to fast
to help us lengthen our stride in our missionary effort, to open
the way for the gospel to go to the nations where it is not now
permitted. It's good for us to fast as well as to pray over
specific things and over specific objectives.
|p3 I've been grateful for the experience I had under the
tutelage of my own father to wash with Castile soap the
harnesses and grease them to preserve them. I learned to paid
the picket fence, the water tank, the carriage shed, the
granary, the buggy and the wagon, and finally the house. And
since the days when I wore the occasional blister on my hands, I
have not been sorry for those experiences.
|p4 I've always felt to commend the sisters who tat and knit and
crochet, who always have something new and sparkling about the
place. We've always been pleased when we've found young women
who could make their own clothes and sew well and cook meals and
keep the house tidy.
|p5 It seems to be the idea these days that we just entertain
our young people. we spend so much of our time trying to find
ways to keep them interested. I see no disadvantages in work. I
believe it was one of the clever and most important and
necessary creations of our Father.
|p6 My admiration almost had no bounds one day when a young man
from Murray came in to be interviewed for a mission. He'd saved
$2,900 for his mission from his Marine pay in three years and
nine months and fifteen days. By doing odd jobs which others
wished to escape, he had $2,900 for his mission. Just a boy
without a job, without a place, without a home, without somebody
to keep him busy. But he caught the idea and went out and did
other people's work on the ship, and saved his money for this
important thing.
|p7 Through the ages there have been many laws repealed, but we
know of no divine repeal of the law of work. From the obscure
life organs within the body to the building of the moon landing
craft, work is one of the conditions of being alive. We have
been told that everyday work is a purposeful activity requiring
an expenditure of energy with some sacrifice of leisure.
|p8 Sir William Osler, a great physician of Canada, said that
work is the master word in ongoing life. It's the touchstone of
progress, the measure of success, and the fount of hope. It is
directly responsible, he said, for all advantages in medicine
and technology. (See Harvey Cushing, Life of Sir William Osler,
vol. 1, ch. 14.)
|p9 I'm always distressed when I see clerks in stores and banks
and offices who complain of their workload and are stingy with
their efforts and who fear to give more than their pay would
seem to compensate. I know their hours are long and that there
are many laws controlling these things nowadays. But at least
their attitudes can be right.
|p10 Only a week or so ago we sat in a restaurant and for a long
time received no attention. Finally we heard one girl say to the
other, "Why don't you wait on those people?" The answer was,
"They're not in my assignment." But there they were, standing
over there, without anything apparently to do.
|p11 Perhaps we need the compelling urgency of our forefathers.
They had to work hard to survive. We have securities of this and
that sort to make sure that we do not starve. Dr. D. Ewen
Cameron, a psychiatrist, wrote This LIfe Is for Living, and in
it he said, "For half a century we have heard the most moving of
lamentations from employers over the passing of the old-time
worker, the fellow who really loved his work, who hung around
until he was satisfied that the job was done, who would think
out ways to do it better. This kind of worker has not
disappeared from the job; it is his kind of job that has done
the disappearing."
|p12 Brethren and sister, I'm sure it is time that I should
close. But I want to commend the words of Sister Smith and the
Presiding Bishopric and President Romney to you and say that
this is a gospel of action and whatever we learn we should put
into action. God bless us that we may have the determination to
carry forward all of these commandments of the Lord which have
been conveyed to us. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
October 1, 1976 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
A Report and a Challenge
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 This is the semiannual general of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, and we bid you welcome, you who are in
attendance and you who are listening over radio and television,
and we extend to you our love and our appreciation.
|p2 Since August of last year, we have held twenty-six solemn
assemblies for the priesthood leadership in various regions of
the United States and Canada, in which we have reminded the
brethren of their responsibilities and their opportunities. We
have met about 28,000 of the leading brethren in those stakes
and missions.
|p3 We recently held area conferences at which we have met some
151,000 of our members of the Church. Since we began holding
area conferences, we have spoken of the gospel and its blessings
to nearly a half million (446,691) people in many countries. In
general, we have found the Church is healthy and moving forward.
|p4 We glory with you in the advancement made to 764 stakes and
146 missions and about 9.000 wards and branches, and we feel
that the Lord is blessing our extended efforts.
|p5 In the numerous new stakes created all over the world, new,
young, and vigorous leadership has been ordained and set apart
to look after the interests of the people. We are delighted with
the way these local officials accept this new responsibility.
|p6 The young missionaries have continued to proliferate, and we
now have in excess of 25,000 missionaries, mostly young elders
of nineteen to twenty-one, with some young women and older
couples. We are grateful to announce that success has followed
their efforts, and an estimated 117,000 converts will have been
added to the rolls. They are happy in their new responsibilities
as they have found a new spiritual home and have learned more
concerning our Heavenly Father, His Son, and His program.
|p7 We have about 183,000 youth in seminary and 88,001) or more
in institute, or a total of more than a quarter million,
including youth of every land and about 8.000 Indians and
hundreds of thousands of other Lamanites. By the end of this
year. we shall approach the four million mark in Church
membership.
|p8 It is estimated that it took 117 years. from 1830 to 1947,
to attain one million members. Then it took sixteen years, from
1947 to 1963. to reach the second million members, and then nine
years, 1963 to 1972. to attain the third million. It will
probably take about four or five years to move up to the four
million mark, and then we can guess what the future holds.
|p9 What does this mean to us? It means that if the members of
the Church do real proselyting in their home wards that the
number of converts could grow to astronomical figures and even
hasten the time when the Lord will be returning to the earth in
His second advent.
|p10 We are very gratified with the growth of the Church, both
numerically and spiritually.
|p11 I can remember when we were getting only about 19 percent
attendance at sacrament meetings. Of course, that included all
members of the Church, children and infants, but it was very
low. Today many stakes and missions have reached nearly 50 and
60 percent of their total membership in attendance at sacrament
meetings, and there are many units that have a much higher
attendance record.
|p12 Since our last conference we have had a delightful message
from Christopher S. Bond, Governor of the State of Missouri, who
advised us that he has rescinded the 138-year-old Executive
Order of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs calling for the extermination
or expulsion of the Mormons from the State of Missouri. Governor
Bond, present Missouri governor, writes: "Expressing on behalf
of all Missourians our deep regret for the injustice and undue
suffering which was caused by this 1838 order, I hereby rescind
Executive Order No. 44 dated October 27, 1838, issued by
Governor Lilburn W. Boggs."
|p13 To Governor Bond and the people of Missouri, we extend our
deep appreciation for this reversal and for the present friendly
associations between the membership of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and the people of Missouri as it is
now in effect. In Missouri now we have five stakes in fifty-one
communities, with approximately 15.000 members of the Church,
who, we are confident, are law-abiding citizens of that State.
Thank you, Governor Bond.
|p14 Gardens
|p15 Our pride is great in the people who have listened and who
have planted gardens and orchards and trees in the past months.
From all directions we hear of gardens which have made an
outstanding contribution. A couple in Alabama wrote, "We had
vegetables all during the year. We feel it saved us quite a bit
of money."
|p16 One authority estimates there will |P5|p1 be about 35
million home vegetable gardens this year, up from about 32.5
million last year, and he says that probably 41 percent of all
American households will do some home canning this year, as
against 37 percent a year ago. Many of the numerous gardens are
found in hanging baskets, in containers on stairways, on
trellises, and in window boxes.
|p2 In Oklahoma a state university makes 240 plots available to
married students. In Long Island some 400 plots have been turned
over to residents. In Pennsylvania some 200.000 plots were under
cultivation.
|p3 One authority say's, "I have my own garden and have found
it's my sanity away from work."
|p4 We would add to the garden-orchard project the clearing of
yards and homes. We have mentioned it before. Still there are
numerous homes with broken-down fences and barns, outbuildings
that could probably be torn down or rebuilt, ditch banks that
could be cleared. We congratulate all who have listened and
followed counsel.
|p5 From Frankfurt, Germany, this comes:
|p6 "We are two families in the Frankfurt Mission, and we tell
you about our garden.
|p7 "It was not very easy to find a piece of land in a large
city like Frankfurt--it is a tiny garden--and when we rented it,
it looked like a wilderness, with a broken fence, a broken
cottage, and wild grass all over. It did not discourage us.
|p8 "First we made a new fence, repaired the cottage. and digged
the whole garden. In the springtime we planted vegetables and
the neighbours told us that it would not grow. There is a little
stream where we can go on our bikes hanged with cans, and this
way we carry our water. We prayed to the Lord that he would
bless our garden. The Lord did answer our prayers. Every kind of
vegetable came. It is so wonderful to see the plants grow. We
take turns now to go to our garden and water our plants. We are
happy to have a garden."
|p9 Pornography
|p10 Members of the Church everywhere are urged to not only
resist the widespread plague of pornography. but as citizens to
become actively and relentlessly engaged in the tight against
this insidious enemy of humanity around the world.
|p11 Last year billions of dollars were spent worldwide on
obscene motion pictures and literature. This smut is |P6|p1
surfacing in bookstores, magazine shops, motion picture
theaters, and unfortunately, in some department stores, food
markets, and even drugstores.
|p2 We urge Latter-day Saints to get involved as citizens and
fight obscenity.
|p3 We quote from an article in a national magazine:
|p4 "After years of inertia, more and more U.S. cities are
cracking down on sex-oriented businesses.
|p5 "Tougher local laws, many of them stemming from recent
rulings by the Supreme Court, are at work against smut and vice.
. . .
|p6 "A . . . High Court ruling . . . upheld the right of cities
and counties to use zoning to eliminate adult motion pictures."
("War on Pornography Begins in Earnest," U.S. News and World
Report Sept. 13, 1976, p. 75.)
|p7 "Pornography degrades sex and humanity. Sex is an extremely
delicate part of our human relationships. When you assault that
and degrade it, you make it an animalistic act and it is an
assault on our humanity generally.
|p8 "As that spreads, it has an over-all effect on our
population. Obscenity is counter to civilization. It attacks our
basic beliefs. It's an attack on the family ethic." (Larry
Parrish, U.S. Assistant Attorney, in "War on Pornography." p.
76.)
|p9 To Moses, the Lord, as recorded in Leviticus, spoke plainly
and forcefully against adultery in various forms, whorings, and
homosexuality. The Lord told Moses these things were an
"abomination." (Lev. 20.)
|p10 They are still an abomination. They still corrode the mind,
snuff out self-esteem, and drag one down into the darkness of
anguish and unhappiness.
|p11 And so we say to you: Teach your children to avoid smut as
the plague it is. As citizens, join in the fight against
obscenity in your communities. Do not be lulled into inaction by
the pornographic profiteers who say that to remove obscenity is
to deny people the rights of free choice. Do not let them
masquerade licentiousness as liberty.
|p12 Precious souls are at stake--souls that are near and dear
to each of us.
|p13 Sins spawned by pornography unfortunately perpetuate other
serious transgressions including abortion.
|p14 Abortion
|p15 Abortion. with all its heartaches, to say nothing of the
destruction of life, continues to rise alarmingly. Last year in
the United States alone, there were reported over one million
legal abortions. That is nearly fifty times the number only
seven years before, in 1969. One leading authority estimates
that by 1980 there may be 2.4 million legal abortions. Abortions
in many other countries are running similarly high.
|p16 Abortion. the taking of life, is one of the most grievous
of sins. We have repeatedly affirmed the position of the Church
in unalterably opposing all abortions, except in two rare
instances: When conception is the result of forcible rape and
when competent medical counsel indicates that a mother's health
would otherwise be seriously jeopardized.
|p17 Certainly the tragedy of abortion often begins with a visit
to an X-rated motion picture theater or fingering through an
obscene magazine. The path to the grievous sins of fornication,
adultery, and homosexuality can begin, too with the viewing of
some of the sex-and violence-oriented programs now being shown
on television. including network television.
|p18 We must put on the armor of righteousness and resist with
all our might these satanic influences. The time is now when
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must
take a stand fearlessly and relentlessly for the Lord's ways as
opposed to those of Satan.
|p19 Bicentennial
|p20 We have recently celebrated the notable event of the
Bicentennial with all other good people of this country. We have
experienced an increase of loyalty to our precious land.
|p21 We remember Benjamin Franklin said.
|p22 "I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the
more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in
the affairs of men. . . . I firmly believe this that without his
concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no
better than the builders of Babel." (James Parton, Life and
Times of Benjamin Franklin, Boston: James R. Osgood and Company,
1864, 2:573-74.)
|p23 Out of years of turmoil and tragedy, wars and riots,
assassinations and wrongdoings in high places. Americans have
recaptured the Spirit of 1776. We again had visions of our
revolutionary founders and our immigrant ancestors. Great and
consoling is the vision of free men and free women enjoying
limited government and unlimited opportunity.
|p24 And as we move forward front the Bicentennial. we state
with John Adams in the carving over the marble fireplace in the
White House, "May none but honest and wise men ever rule under
this roof."
|p25 No government can remain strong by ignoring the
commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
|p26 Honesty
|p27 Today is the day to preach honesty and integrity. Many
people have seemingly lost their concept of the God-given law of
honesty. Joseph Smith led us in saying, "We believe in being
honest, true. chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to
all men." (Thirteenth Article of Faith)
|p28 Our Creator said in the carved message on Sinai. "Thou
shalt not steal." Again it was reiterated in the basis of the
Restoration, "Thou shalt not steal." (D&C 59:6.)
|p29 In public office and private lives, the word of the Lord
thunders: "Thou shalt not steal; . . . nor do anything like unto
it." (D&C 59:6.)
|p30 We find ourselves rationalizing in all forms of dishonesty,
including shoplifting, which is a mean, low act indulged in by
millions who claim to be honorable, decent people.
|p31 Dishonesty comes in many other forms: in hijacking, in
playing upon private love and emotions for filthy lucre; in
robbing money tills or stealing commodities of employers; in
falsifying accounts; in taking advantage of other taxpaying
people by misuse of food stamps and false claims; in taking
unreal exemptions; in taking out government or private loans
without intent to repay; in declaring unjust, improper
bankruptcies to avoid repayment of loans; in robbing on the
street or in the home money and other precious possessions; in
stealing time, giving less than a full day of honest labor for a
full day's compensation; in riding public transportation without
paying the fare; and all forms of dishonesty in all places and
in all conditions.
|p32 To all thieveries and dishonest acts, the Lord says, "Thou
shalt not steal." Four short common words He used. Perhaps He
wearied of the long list He could have made of ways to steal,
misrepresent, and take advantage, and He covered all methods of
taking that which does not properly belong to one by saying.
"Thou shalt not steal." "Everybody's doing it" is often given as
an excuse. No society can be healthy without honesty. trust, and
self-restraint.
|p33 In family life, men must and should be considerate of their
wives, not |P7|p1 only in the bearing of children, but in caring
for them through childhood. The mother's health must be
conserved,and the husband's consideration for his wife is his
first duty, and self-control a dominant factor in all their
relationships.
|p2 Family life is gaining ground. Some countries are coming to
an appreciation for children and family life.
|p3 We note that France has now repudiated that program which
would limit life. It is said that if a couple's combined ages in
France do not exceed fifty-two and one of them is employed, the
couple can borrow $1,350 from the government on demand. This is
for the payment of rent, payment on a home, or for household
equipment, with fifteen months to pay.
|p4 If a French couple has a baby before the loan payment is
due, their debt is reduced by 15 percent for the first child, 25
percent for the second child, 25 percent for the third, and
complete debt forgiveness for the fourth. In France the
expectant mother is said to receive $150 for prenatal care. This
is a step in the right direction.
|p5 Home Evening
|p6 The family home evening is committed to the belief that the
family is the most important institution in all the world. We
must give preference in time and energy to that family and
observe properly and conscientiously the family home evening.
|p7 The father presides in this home evening, with his wife
assisting, and, with song and prayer and teachings, a solid,
righteous concept of living is developed in the family.
|p8 The home is the best place to teach the gospel of faith,
repentance, and honest, and integrity, and cleanliness.
|p9 The living of the commandments and the close relationship of
parents and children will greatly reduce divorces, discourage
all other forms of evil and misunderstandings. The family is the
basic school of virtue.
|p10 One cleric wrote:
|p11 "Indeed where the family is weak, or where it has been
destroyed as a vital institution, the moral breakdown is most
obvious. Man is a weak creature who needs the support of good
institutions--the family, church, school, the fellowship of
work, etc.
|p12 "If the family is `the first and essential cell,' social
decay must follow its breakdown."
|p13 An American author wrote this:
|p14 "Throughout history, nations have been able to survive a
multiplicity of |P8|p1 diseases, invasions, famines,
earthquakes, epidemics, depressions, but they have never been
able to survive the disintegration of the family.
|p2 "The family is the seedbed of economic skills, money habits,
attitude toward work, and the art of financial independence.
|p3 "It is a stronger agency of educational success than the
school, and a stronger religious training than the church.
|p4 "What strengthened the family strengthened society.
|p5 "When the family falters, life falls apart."
|p6 From the man who sits in the chair of the President of this
country next January, there will be high requirements for
imagination and courage.
|p7 "There may come a generation that will incorporate the basic
virtues with the world's compulsive thrust toward the future. We
hope that 1976 may be the year in which the nation began to move
on to the remaking of itself." ("America's Spirit Is on the
Rise." U.S. News and World Report, Aug. 23, 1976, pp. 25-27,
adapted.)
|p8 Our devotion to this program is attracting the attention of
many churches and individuals and groups in the country. We hope
you will never fail to hold home evenings and use them for
training, teaching, and blessing the family.
|p9 Humane Society
|p10 Brothers and sisters, we bring your attention the Humane
Society, which has established a special week annually: "Be Kind
to Animals Week."
|p11 I had a father who was infuriated if he saw a man beating a
balky horse, or kicking his dog, or starving his other animals.
|p12 Wise Solomon said, "A righteous man regardeth the life of
his beast." (Prov. 12:10.)
|p13 "He [God] causeth the grass to grow for the cattle" (Ps.
104:14), and the fodder for the beasts which serve man.
|p14 Even rest is provided for the animals.
|p15 "Six days shalt thou do thy work, and on the seventh day
thou shalt rest: that thine ox, and thine ass may rest." (Exod.
23:12.)
|p16 An old Hebrew saying warns not to dwell in a city where the
horse does not neigh nor the dog bark.
|p17 Politics
|p18 Another primary election in this country has just passed,
and soon a general election will follow.
|p19 We hope that you will go to the polls in large numbers and
vote for the strongest, finest people who are certain to do the
most to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the people.
|p20 We do not endorse candidates, but we hope you will vote for
good men of character and stability--you to be the judge.
|p21 We hope our Church buildings and our Church organizations
will not be used to advance the candidacy or policies of any of
the candidates.
|p22 Lamanite Work
|p23 Our Lamanite work has been going forward. The American
Indians and others of the Lamanites, 60 million or more of them
in South and Central America and Mexico and the islands, are
accepting the gospel.
|p24 The placement program goes forward wherein thousands of
Indian children enjoy the benefits of excellent schools and
well-ordered homes. Many continue on in university training.
|p25 We are told that there are some thirty-six missions
directed largely toward the Lamanite people. There are sixty
stakes, with more being organized, which have large Lamanite
memberships. There was a recent count of Church members among
those stakes and missions exceeding tens of thousands.
|p26 Engineers, chemical researchers,
|P9|p1 medical doctors, lawyers, and many other professional
people are coming from among the Lamanites.
|p2 The Book of Mormon prophecy which promises "nursing fathers
and nursing mothers" for the Lamanites is being fulfilled. Some
10,000 or 15,000 Indian students are being taught in the
seminaries and other instructional institutions of religion, and
hundreds of the more mature students are receiving their degrees
from Brigham Young University, probably the greatest benefactor
of Lamanite students among all higher learning institutions.
They may then go into teaching, surveying, organizing, banking,
and other services. We are very proud of our Lamanites. We hope
all of our people will be loving and kind and helpful to all of
the minority people who come into the Church.
|p3 Calamities
|p4 We express our affection and sympathy to all those who have
suffered in great calamities in the past months. The flood
caused by the breaking of the Teton Dam brought misery and loss
and suffering to numerous of our good people. With its high wall
of water, the flood took nearly everything before it. We are
grateful that Ricks College facilities were just about the flood
line and served to make a home away from home for many who had
lost their homes and to furnish hundreds of thousands of meals
during their dilemma. We are very proud indeed of the
organization, the faithful work, the hospitality, and the
self-sacrifice of numerous helpers in this great tragedy.
|p5 Our sympathies go out also to the flood victims in the Big
Thompson river flood in Colorado, with all the loss and
devastation it brought.
|p6 We have deep sympathy for those who suffered loss in the
Indonesian earthquake, and the earthquake and tidal wave in the
Philippine Islands, and the Guatemala earthquake. We have
followed with greatest sympathy and affection all these
catastrophic experiences and pray the Lord will bless and
sustain those who have suffered.
|p7 Brothers and sisters, we urge all our people to "be ye clean
that bear the vessels of the Lord" (D&C 38:42), to live the
Lord's commandments, to do what is right.
|p8 May God bless you with His divine Spirit as you yield to the
spiritual sermons of this conference by the Brethren. And with
my testimony I close in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 1, 1976 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Reconstitution of the First Quorum of the
Seventy
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Today we shall present four additional members of the First
Quorum of the Seventy to you for your votes.
|p2 In 1941, five high priests were called to assist the Twelve
Apostles in their heavy workload and to fill a role similar to
that envisioned by the revelations for the First Quorum of the
Seventy. The scope and demands of the work at that time did not
justify the reconstitution of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
In the intervening years, additional Assistants to the Twelve
have been added and today we have twenty-one.
|p3 Commencing a year ago, brethren other than the First Council
of the Seventy were called into the First Quorum of the Seventy,
and at present there are fourteen in that quorum, including the
First Council.
|p4 Since the functions and responsibilities of the Assistants
to the Twelve and the Seventy are similar, and since the
accelerated, worldwide growth of the Church requires a
consolidation of its administrative functions at the general
level, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the twelve, with
the concurrence of the Assistants to the Twelve and the First
Quorum of the Seventy, have felt inspired to call all of the
Assistants to the Twelve into the First Quorum of the Seventy,
to call four new members into that quorum, and to restructure
the First Council of the Seventy. You will see that these
changes, which are reflected in the list of General Authorities
to be read by President N. Eldon Tanner, bring to thirty-nine
the total number in the First Quorum of the Seventy, thus
providing a majority for the transaction of quorum business.
|p5 With this move, the three governing quorums of the Church
defined by the revelations--the First Presidency, the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles, and the First Quorum of the Seventy--have
been set in their places as revealed by the Lord. This will make
it possible to handle efficiently the present heavy workload and
to prepare for the increasing expansion and acceleration of the
work, anticipating the day when the Lord will return to take
direct charge of His church and kingdom.
|p6 President N. Eldon Tanner, first counselor in the First
Presidency of the Church, will now present the General
Authorities, general officers, and general auxiliary officers of
the Church for the sustaining vote of the conference.
October 2, 1976 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Our Own Liahona
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brethren, I should like to say a few words to you if
I may. What an opportunity it is to meet together under these
auspices, 230,000 of us, possibly more. We welcome you again
this night and ask the Lord to bless us while we are thus
convened.
|p2 There are two or three matters I would like to bring to your
attention. We have written a letter to all the stake
presidencies in the western United States saying that in the
past the Primary Children's Medical Center received substantial
financial support through the annual Penny Parade. These funds
enabled the hospital to admit children in need of assistance
without regard to race, creed, religion, or ability to pay.
Since this source of support is no longer available, the
hospital has organized a children's fund and will be conducting
a penny-by-the-inch fund drive in the month of February 1977.
All funds received will be used to continue charity services. We
think the program is worthy of your support.
|p3 I wish also to call your attention to another matter
deserving your attention and support. The general presidency of
the Relief Society more than a year ago proposed to the First
Presidency and the Twelve the erection of a monument to the
women of the Church. In view of the fact that the Prophet Joseph
Smith organized the Relief Society in Nauvoo on March 17, 1842,
it was felt that this monument should stand in Nauvoo. The First
Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, after consideration,
felt to endorse this proposal with the understanding that the
project would be funded primarily through the voluntary
contributions of the women of the Church. Work on the monument
has been going forward, and contributions are being received.
|p4 We earnestly ask that stake presidents and bishops give
their endorsement to this undertaking and encourage their
respective Relief Society presidents in their efforts to secure
the needed contributions. We are confident that, with support
from you brethren, these funds can be gathered without doing any
injury to anyone. If many contribute, the individual amount need
not be large. We would also hope that some of the brethren might
feel inclined to make a contribution to this worthy project. The
general Relief Society presidency are anxious to conclude the
fund drive before March 17 of next year, their anniversary date.
Your efforts in this direction will be greatly appreciated. Each
sister could make a small contribution to the Relief Society and
she would then feel a part of it.
|p5 Another matter. We hope that you who teach in the various
organizations, whether on the campuses or in our chapels, will
always teach the orthodox truth. We warn you against the
dissemination of doctrines which are not according to the
scriptures and which are alleged to have been taught by some of
the General Authorities of past generations. Such, for instance,
is the Adam-God theory. We denounce that theory and hope that
everyone will be cautioned against this and other kinds of false
doctrine.
|p6 Now, just a few words to you young men. Have you ever
imagined yourself to be the Prophet Joseph Smith when he was
fourteen and received his glorious vision? Or David when he was
playing his harp for King Saul? Or Joseph who had dreams and
visions and saw in a dream how his father and mother and all his
brothers and their families would bow down to him? Have you ever
thought of yourself as being Nephi, who, under very difficult
circumstances, defied his rebellious brothers and went into the
city of Jerusalem and singlehandedly obtained the plates which
were vital to the posterity of Lehi and his family? Have you
ever thought of yourself as being the young Nephi who gave
leadership in large measure to his older brothers and to his
father's family?
|p7 Can you think of yourself as being Nephi who heard his
father excitedly call attention to something he had found just
outside the door of his tent? It was a round ball that made it
possible for father Lehi to fulfill the commandment he had
received during the night when visited by the Lord who told him
to resume his journey into the wilderness on the morrow. There
must have been great excitement in the family when the ball was
shown to them. They found it to be "a round ball of curious
workmanship," made "of fine brass," and none had ever seen
anything like it before. (1 Ne. 16:10.) It had two spindles or
pointers which were designed to indicate the direction of
movement of the party as they went forward. For no reason that
could be figured out, one of the spindles pointed a specific
direction which was identified by Lehi as the direction that
should be followed into the wilderness.
|p8 If you were greatly interested and observed very carefully
the workings of this unusual ball, you would note that it worked
"according to the faith and diligence and heed" which were given
unto it concerning the way you should |P78|p1 go. (1 Ne. 16:28.)
What would you think if, upon closer examination, you noted that
there were writings upon the ball that were "plain to be read"
and went farther than pointing direction--they explained the
ways of the Lord? And what if the instructions were "changed
from time to time" as additional demands were made of the Lord
and this "according to the faith and diligence" which the family
gave to it? (1 Ne. 16:29.)
|p2 Never had you seen anything like it, for it was curious
workmanship. The directions to which the spindles pointed were
invariable, but the writings were changed from time to time
according to need.
|p3 Imagine yourself a younger brother, such as Nephi, but being
more spiritual than your older brothers. You were very careful
to follow the directions as they were given on the ball, or
Liahona, as it came to be called. Suppose you found that the
directions on the ball led the family to more fertile fields in
parts of the wilderness where supplies could he had? Suppose
that, in your long travels, you finally ran out of food and the
children were crying from hunger. You had an especially fine
steel bow and arrow. hut you broke the bow in your vigorous
handling. And then suppose your brethren came to you, very
critical, because their wooden bows had lost their springs
limiting the opportunity to kill wild animals for food for the
family.
|p4 Suppose you then were obliged to sit in the camp and listen
to your older brothers murmur exceedingly, because of their
sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness" with definite
criticisms of their father and yourself and even the Lord for
having led them into this dry wilderness. (1 Ne. 16:20.) Food
was getting very scarce. Suppose in these difficult hours of
criticism and complaint from your brothers that you made a bow
and used a straight stick for an arrow, and that you had armed
yourself with your new bow and arrow and with stones and a
sling. Then you asked your father where you should go--in what
direction to find meat, and felt the inspiration of the
faithfulness of your beloved father.
|p5 But suppose that even your father had begun to murmur
against the Lord for leaving the family in these desperate
straits. How would you feel to know that your father, as well as
your brothers, were chastised by the voice of |P79|p1 the Lord
for their lack of faith and humility? Can you imagine yourself
with your older brothers, your father, and all the family
looking intently at the ball and its pointers to see what it
would say when your father was instructed by the voice of the
Lord to "look upon the ball, and behold the things which are
written"? (1 Ne. 16:26.) Can you imagine all your brothers and
members of the family crowding around the ball to watch it work,
fearing and trembling as they apparently realized that it was
something out of this world? Would you not tremble when you were
reminded with the whole family that the pointers of the ball
would work "according to the faith and diligence and heed" which
you paid to it? (1 Ne. 16:28.)
|p2 What if, after long journeyings and much tribulation, you
finally convinced your brothers to help you build a ship and
embark on the great ocean? Then after a short travel, the
spindles wouldn't work anymore and the ship was driven backward
because of lack of faith of your brothers who were very rude and
cruel? (See 1 Ne. 18:9ff.) What if they bound you hand and foot
until your arms and your ankles ached? What would you think of
all those things when you knew that if they would just live the
word of the Lord and be faithful, the spindles would work? What
would you think then if finally when the angel came and
protected you and released you from this bondage and the
brethren repented to some degree, the spindles worked well, and
you went on to your destination?
|p3 The ball, or Liahona which is interpreted to mean a compass
was prepared by the Lord especially to show unto Lehi the course
which he should travel in the wilderness. Wouldn't you like to
have that kind of a ball--each one of you so that whenever you
were in error it would point the right way and write messages to
you, so that you would always know when you were in error or in
the wrong way?
|p4 That, my young brethren, you all have. The Lord gave to
every boy, every man, every person, a conscience which tells him
everytime he starts to go on the wrong path. He is always told
if he is listening; but people can, of course, become so used to
hearing the messages that they ignore them until finally they do
not register anymore.
|p5 You must realize that you have something like the compass,
like the Liahona, in your own system. Every child is given it.
When he is eight years of age, he knows good from evil, if his
parents have been teaching him well. If he ignores the Liahona
that he has in his own makeup, he eventually may not have it
whispering to him. But if we will remember that everyone of us
has the thing that will direct him aright, our ship will not get
on the wrong course and suffering will not happen and bows will
not break and families will not cry for food if we listen to the
dictates of our own Liahona, which we call the conscience.
|p6 Brethren, this has been a glorious evening for us here to
all meet together. We have just now received a phone call from
Melbourne, Australia, which says they are receiving the
conference very well, so this is the third corner of the world
we have heard from.
|p7 Brethren, we've heard some wonderful messages here tonight.
May the Lord bless us that we will ponder them and think them
through and receive them into our souls, that we may carry on
this great work that the Lord has given to us. The Lord does
live. The Savior of the world also lives. He has a program for
us. He has made it known to us that our Liahonas won't work if
we live so that they cannot be depended upon. We may not
understand fully all the things the Lord tells us to do, but my
faith and prayer is that we will, and that we will give serious
consideration to all the things that we are hearing in this
conference from the brethren who lead us. May the Lord bless us,
brethren. May peace be with us and joy and comfort, and I offer
this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 3, 1976 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
A Program for Man
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brothers and Sisters, I will say just a brief word
at the conclusion of this marvelous conference.
|p2 There has been a generous outpouring from the Lord to all of
the speakers who have addressed us. We have been greatly stirred
by our famous and beloved Tabernacle Choir as they have used
their rich talents to bless us with heavenly symphonies. And we
are deeply grateful to the other groups of singers. They too,
have enriched our services and made them pleasing to us and to
the Lord. And to all others who have contributed we are deeply
grateful.
|p3 We have made some changes in the General Authorities, and we
hope all of our people are sympathetic and approve in their
hearts.
|p4 The sermons from the Brethren have developed almost every
theme and subject, and they have been rich and full of meat. We
have been greatly pleased with all of their contributions. May
we mention a few:
|p5 President Tanner has relived for us the area conferences of
Europe. We have carried similar ones to the Orient and South
America and Mexico and the South Seas.
|p6 President Romney has given us the word of the Lord on
honesty and integrity and companion themes.
|p7 In between the choir's presentations, we have heard excerpts
from the sermons of our beloved brother, the apostle Paul.
|p8 We were given a picture of the temptations of Jesus, and we
have seen, with the eyes of an apostle, the families that are
forever.
|p9 We have partly relived the Bicentennial through the eyes of
one of the Brethren.
|p10 Delightful experiences from life have been used by the
Brethren to point the way and direct our footsteps, and great
lessons have been taught by parable, quotation, and exhortation.
|p11 The standards of the Church have been emphasized over and
over, with warm appeals from the Brethren for us to live God's
commandments.
|p12 We have been taught as fathers and mothers and bishops how
to prepare missionaries to attain excellence.
|p13 One of our favorite songs has these words from the Master:
"He marked the path and led the way, And every point defines To
life and light and endless day Where God's full presence
shines." (Hymns, no. 68.) Why should we be so concerned about
flickering candles, when there is an unextinguishable light at
hand for the earning?
|p14 The numerous testimonies of the Brethren of the ages are
positive and uniform, uplifting and faith-building and
hope-building, and they encourage worthiness. They are like
these lines:
|p15 Canst thou take the barren soil
And with all thy pain and toil
Make lilies grow?
Have faith in God, He can!
Canst thou paint the clouds above
And all sunset colors weave
Into the sky?
Thou canst not, O pow'rless man.
Have faith in God, He can!
Canst thou still the troubled heart
And make all care and trials depart
From out the soul?
Thou canst not, thou helpless man.
Have faith in God, He can.
|p16 We wonder why we fail with all the exhortation and
explanation given us by the Brethren who have pled with us! We
can understand why the Savior must have been disappointed, and
why he said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the
will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21.)
|p17 And then he said again, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do
not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46.) I hope that theme will
follow us to our homes and into our future lives.
|p18 As we close this great conference, I again implore the
hearer of these messages to do the things which the Lord says
and which have been so clearly outlined during this conference.
|p19 Recently a prominent doctor, knowing of my surgery and
cancer treatments, exhibited a little surprise at my assuming
the great responsibility of the church presidency. He was not a
member of the Church and evidently had never known the pull and
the pressure one feels when one has a positive assurance that
the Lord is not playing games, but rather has a serious program
for man and for his glory. The Lord knows what He is doing, and
all His moves are appropriate and right.
|p20 And I was surprised also that any man would wonder and
question the work of the Lord. We who have the positive
assurance and testimony of the divinity of this work do not
question the ways or determinations of the Lord.
|p21 I know without question that God lives and have a feeling
of sorrow for those people in the world who live in the gray
area of doubt, who do not have such an assurance.
|p22 I know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son
of our Heavenly Father, and that He assisted in the creation
|P111|p1 of man and of all that serves man, including the earth
and all that is in the world. He was the Redeemer of mankind and
the Savior of this world and the author of the plan of salvation
for all men and the exaltation of all who live the laws He has
given.
|p2 He it was who organized this vehicle--this true church--and
called it after His name: The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. In it are all the saving graces.
|p3 I know that the Lord has contact with his prophets, and that
He reveals the truth today to His servants as He did in the days
of Adam and Abraham and Moses and Peter and Joseph and the
numerous others throughout time. God's messages of light and
truth are as surely given to man today as in any other
dispensation.
|p4 Since Adam and Eve were placed in the garden the Lord has
been eager--eager to reveal truth and right to His people. There
have been many times when man would not listen, and, of course,
where there is no ear, there is no voice.
|p5 I know the gospel truths will save and exalt mankind if men
will accept the truth and only live up to their commitments and
covenants.
|p6 I know this is true, and I bear this testimony to you, my
beloved brothers and sisters and friends in all the world, and I
urge all men to seriously accept and conform their lives totally
to the gospel. I bear this witness in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
October 2, 1976 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
Loving One Another
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Brethren and sisters, this has been a most desirable
meeting. I have sat entranced. I know that we did not come here
to be entertained; we came here to be instructed. I hope we have
accepted this meeting in that tone, that we will take into our
lives those suggestion which have been given. The brethren and
sisters have given a wonderful demonstration of how it can be
done, how we should do, and where we should go.
|p2 I remember, rather indistinctly, that when we first moved to
Arizona from Salt Lake City this program officially was not in
vogue, but unofficially it was. In many of the stakes and wards
the work was going forward--partly it was.
|p3 I remember that when we went to Arizona, President
Christopher Layton had been the president of the stake. He was
ill and soon passed away. My father took the reins and became
the president of the stake. I remember we lived in a one-room
house. I guess there were about nine of us at that time, and we
lived in that one room for some time. Then we moved to a little
adobe building a few blocks away, where there were about three
rooms. The roof leaked and many times we had to sleep out in
tents.
|p4 And then we acquired a ten-acre place which was above the
canal. It was covered with mesquite bushes and chaparral and
other desert plants. How to get rid of them, how to clear the
land--that was the question. The first thing we knew, the
brethren from Central Ward had come those several miles with
their picks and shovels, their axes, and they began to help us
clear our ten acres. They came from Layton Ward, and then they
came from Pima Ward. They came before we knew it, almost. With
the help of my father, who was a very excellent worker, and two
sons who were older than I was, we soon had the place ready to
plant.
|p5 That was welfare work. It wasn't under the same direction.
It wasn't stimulated in the same way. But it was real welfare
work, because each helped the other.
|p6 Also, my father was very responsive. He found that President
Layton, who was beginning to get rather old and feeble, didn't
have the help to do the things he needed to do, and he had a big
orchard. So Father gathered all of us children up, with all the
buckets and pans, and with the consent and approval of President
Layton we all went down to his orchard and picked fruit on
shares. There was a large family of the Laytons and there was a
large family of us. We divided the pickings from the orchard and
went forward with our program. My dear mother knew how to make
ends meet. We had a pantry and that pantry was always filled
with bottled fruits and everything else you could think of that
was available at the time.
|p7 Another thing I wish to mention is that in Nauvoo, Illinois,
the Relief Society has been given approval to erect a monument
which will be a joy forever. We would like it understood that we
have given approval for it, and we would appreciate it if the
stake presidencies and the mission presidencies and the
bishoprics would give this encouragement. Encourage the sisters
to make individual contributions--not too large, but very
voluntary and adequate. We hope that you will encourage the
sisters to go forward with this program. We shall mention this
again tonight in the priesthood meeting. It is very important.
|p8 President Marion G. Romney was talking about the work which
involved our parents. The other day we heard a story in our
council meeting that I saw raise the ire of the brethren. It was
all righteous ire because of the things that had happened. A
father who had been very careful in his investments and in his
service had saved hundreds of thousands of dollars for his sweet
little wife who had helped him to gather it. But unfortunately
he died first and was laid away. His wife became a little older,
and somewhat senile. She was put in a rest home. The money went
to the children's bank accounts, and she went on suffering.
Maybe she didn't fully understand all the suffering that came to
her; but maybe she did. With inadequate clothes and with
inadequate treatment and training, the poor woman is still
living in a rest home. As far as we know her children never see
her.
|p9 It must be a little bit difficult to visit a mother who gave
her life for her children, who spent many, many years rearing
and training and saving for them. It must be very difficult for
them to show their interest when she is in a position where she
needs some comfort from those whom she has loved.
|p10 This is very important, and I hope you will not forget it,
you bishops. In your wards, remind your people that they should
take care of their fathers and mothers, no matter if they do
become senile, no matter if they do become difficult to handle.
They should be taken care of; that is a part of the program of
the Lord established when He first organized this world.
|P128|p1 One other matter. I remember some years ago, a young
man and his wife and little children moved to our Arizona
community. As we got acquainted with them, he told me of the
rigorous youth he had spent as he grew up. He'd had to get up at
five and six o'clock in the morning and go out and deliver
papers. He'd had to work on the farm, and he'd had to do many
things that were still rankling in his soul. Then he concluded
with this statement: "My boys are never going to have to do
that." And we saw his boys grow up and you couldn't get them to
do anything. They left off their church activity and nothing
seemed very important to them.
|p2 "Thou shalt not be idle," the Lord said. (D&C 42:42.)
Idleness is of the devil, and we are not kind to our children
when we become affluent and take from them their labors, their
opportunities to serve and to be trained and to do things for
themselves and for others.
|p3 This has been a wonderful meeting. We're deeply grateful for
the splendid service as directed by Bishop Victor L. Brown and
his counselors, Sister Barbara B. Smith and her counselors.
We're grateful for their wonderful service. And we're grateful
for your service as bishoprics and stake presidencies as you
give leadership to this marvelous program. We pray that the Lord
will bless us as we go forward and follow the program as it is
outlined for us. We say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 2, 1977 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Lord Expects His Saints to Follow the Commandments
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brethren and sisters, this is a happy day to
address you concerning the work of the Lord, and its progress
and development.
|p2 Many things have happened in the interval since last October
conference, in the six months that have passed.
|p3 We have returned from a long, glorious trip into the
faraway places to visit and address our beloved people in the
far south. We have traveled approximately 23,000 miles. We have
gone from volcanoes of Chile in the far south, to the heights of
the Andes Mountains, all along to the plains, to the forests.
|p4 In our many contacts, we have visited and borne testimony to
approximately 150,000 of our members in area conferences. We
have found them growing, developing, happy people, and we are
sure that our Heavenly Father is pleased with what we saw in the
people, in their activities, attitudes, their faith, and their
testimony.
|p5 Early this year when drouth conditions seemed to be
developing in the West, the cold and hardships in the East, with
varying weather situations all over the world, we felt to ask
the members of the Church to join in fasting and prayer, asking
the Lord for moisture where it was so vital and for a cessation
of the difficult conditions elsewhere.
|p6 Perhaps we may have been unworthy in asking for these
greatest blessings, but we do not wish to frantically approach
the matter but merely call it to the attention of our Lord and
then spend our energy to put our lives in harmony.
|p7 One prophet said:
|p8 "When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they
have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and
confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest
them:
|p9 "Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy
servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the
good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land,
which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance." (1
Kings 8:35-36.)
|p10 The Lord uses the weather sometimes to discipline his
people for the violation of his laws. He said to the children of
Israel:
|p11 "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and
do them; "Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land
shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield
their fruit.
|p12 "And your threshing shall reach into the vintage, and the
vintage shall reach unto the sowing time; and ye shall eat your
bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
|p13 "And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down,
and none shall make you afraid: . . . neither shall the sword go
through your land." (Lev. 26:3-6.)
|p14 With the great worry and suffering in the East and threats
of drouth here in the West and elsewhere, we asked the people to
join in a solemn prayer circle for moisture where needed. Quite
immediately our prayers were answered, and we were grateful
beyond expression. We are still in need and hope that the Lord
may see fit to answer our continued prayers in this matter.
|p15 From all around the world we have received letters
indicating a general response to the suggestion. From Brisbane,
Australia, comes this:
|p16 "We received your cable inviting the Saints in Brisbane to
join you and the world in a day of fasting and prayer. We share
your love and concern for all of our Heavenly Father's children.
. . ."
|p17 Perhaps the day has come when we should take stock of
ourselves and see if we are worthy to ask or if we have been
breaking the commandments, making ourselves unworthy of
receiving the blessings.
|p18 The Lord gave strict commandments: "Ye shall keep my
sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord." (Lev.
19:30.)
|p19 Innumerous times we have quoted this, asking our people not
to profane the Sabbath; and yet we see numerous cars lined up at
merchandise stores on the Sabbath day, and places of amusement
crowded, and we wonder.
|p20 Numerous times we have quoted:
|p21 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
|p22 "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
|p23 "But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: In
it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle,
nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
|p24 "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore
the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exod.
20:8-11.)
|p25 But today numerous of the people of this land spend the
Sabbath working, devoting the day to the beaches, to
entertainment, to shows, to their weekly purchases. The Lord
makes definite promises. He says:
|p26 "Then I will give you rain in due |P5|p1 season, and the
land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall
yield their fruit." (Lev. 26:4.)
|p2 God does what he promises, and any of us continue to defile
the Sabbath day. He then continues:
|p3 "And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the
vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your
bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely." (Lev. 26:5.)
|p4 These promises are dependable. The Lord says further:
|p5 "And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye
shall be my people.
|p6 I am the Lord your God . . . and I have broken the bands of
your yoke." (Lev. 26:12-13.)
|p7 The Lord reverses now and warns:
|p8 "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all
these commandments;
|p9 "And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor
my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but .
. . break my covenant:
|p10 "I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you
terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume
the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed
in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
|p11 "And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain
before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you;
and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. . . .
|p12 "And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make
your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
|p13 "And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land
shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the
land yield their fruits." (Lev. 26:14-17, 19-20.)
|p14 The Lord goes further and says:
|p15 "I will . . . destroy your cattle, and make you few in
number; and your high ways shall be desolate." (Lev. 26:22.)
|p16 Can you think how the highways could be made desolate? When
fuel and power are limited, when there is none to use, when men
will walk instead of ride?
|p17 Have you ever thought, my good folks, that the matter of
peace is in the hands of the Lord who says:
|p18 "And I will bring a sword upon you . . ." (Lev. 26:25.)
|p19 Would that be difficult? Do you read the papers? Are you
acquainted with the hatreds in the world? What guarantee have
you for permanent peace?
|p20 ". . . and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the
enemy." (Lev. 26:25.)
|p21 Are there enemies who could and would afflict us? Have you
thought of that?
|p22 "And I will make your cities waste," he says, "and bring
your sanctuaries unto desolation. . . .
|p23 "Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it
lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall
the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
|p24 "As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did
not rest [when it could] in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon
it." (Lev. 26:31, 34-35.)
|p25 Those are difficult and very serious situations, but they
are possible.
|p26 And the Lord concludes:
|p27 "These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the
Lord made between him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai
by the hand of Moses." (Lev. 26:46.)
|p28 This applies to you and me.
|P6|p1 Would this be a good time to deeply concern ourselves
with these matters? Is this a time when we should return to our
homes, our families, our children? Is this the time we should
remember our tithes and our offerings a time when we should
desist from our abortions, our divorces, our Sabbath breaking,
our eagerness to make the holy day a holiday?
|p2 Is this a time to repent of our sins, our immoralities, our
doctrines of devils?
|p3 Is this a time for all of us to make holy our marriages,
live in joy and happiness, rear our families in righteousness?
|p4 Certainly many of us know better than we do. Is this a time
to terminate adultery and homosexual and lesbian activities, and
return to faith and worthiness? Is this a time to end our
heedless pornographies?
|p5 Is this the time to set our face firmly against unholy and
profane things, and whoredoms, irregularities, and related
matters?
|p6 Is the time to enter new life? As the clear-thinking apostle
Paul said:
|p7 "Mortify therefore your members . . . fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry:
|p8 "For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the
children of disobedience." (Col. 3:5-6.)
|p9 Would this be a good time to eliminate "the works of the
flesh. . . ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like," remembering that "they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God"? (Gal. 5:19-21.)
|p10 The Lord asks, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not
the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46.)
|p11 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21; italics added.)
|p12 The temple work for the Church is going forward. We are
proud of the service rendered, attendance at the temple; but is
not total service required? It was brought out in our meeting
the other day that to, go to the temple is not sufficient; we
must get many, many names of people so that we can carry on the
work for them.
|p13 We now have sixteen temples, with four others under
contemplation. But have you thought of the other work that can
be done nearby and far away? One does not need to live in the
temple district very close to carry on this work. Great
quantities of genealogical data and family records can be
produced and made available for the work which can be done later
when temples are available. Perhaps this is. preeminent.
|p14 So we urge all our multitudes of people to write their
personal records and biographies and their genealogies and all
be prepared for the days when the temples are made available and
can be used by all. This is a program long followed by members
of this Church, but today there are numerous friends--Catholics,
Protestants, Jews, and others--who are filling our genealogical
rooms with their preparation of their family lines.
|p15 We are told that microfilming in Rhodesia is being
permitted. Cameras are also filming in South Africa and in many
other nations throughout the world.
|p16 Next week we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
dedication of the St. George Temple, the first in the West.
|p17 The Roots phenomenon has had an amazing impact on the
people of this country, and more and more people are concerned
with the genealogical program. Numerous genealogical libraries
throughout the Church in the world are serving and making
records available for patrons as the momentum of childrens'
hearts turning to their fathers builds up, as suggested by
Malachi. The news media, national and international, are all,
making inquiries. Film crews are working. Millions of Americans
have been reached "by these articles, and this helps explain to
them the theological basis for our emphasis on the family.
|p18 This is a firm and positive and important element of our
religious teaching.
|p19 "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the
way before me." (Mal. 3:1.)
|p20 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the |P7|p1 prophet before
the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
|p2 "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,
and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and
smith the earth with a curse." (Mal. 4:5-6.)
|p3 That's an ominous, portentous thing.
|p4 With a century of intensive work in genealogy and records,
there has been a great accumulation of records of life, birth,
death; and today there are millions of people in eternity, many
of them who lived on the earth at a time when records were not
kept, and the work was not done, and temples were not erected,
and prophets did not exist.
|p5 "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the
Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with
one voice, and said, all the words which the Lord hath said will
we do.
|p6 "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the
audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath
said will we do, and be obedient." (Exod. 24:3,7.)
|p7 May I mention again our program on home gardens. From all
over the globe come notes from members who participate in the
production projects. I have received a picture of several little
boys and their father with a wheelbarrow full of cabbages,
tomatoes, beans, melons, and all kinds of produce.
|p8 There was Sonja's garden in the heart of Sao Paulo, a great
metropolis. Others say: "This a way of making lasting
relationships of friends and neighbors."
|p9 Our gardens are a matter of discussion in private, in
socials at home. It has brought our families together," they
say.
|p10 One home teacher reports: "Of the five families whom I
visit, all have home gardens, and it makes me very proud. I find
them anxious now to plant for another year."
|p11 Brothers and sisters, this is the work of the Lord. We deal
with many things which are thought to be not so spiritual; but
all things are spiritual with the Lord, and he expects us to
follow the commandments. And I beg of you--all of us--that we
live the commandments of the Lord which are brought forth in
these conferences from time to time by the various Brethren. And
I bear testimony to the divinity of it all, in the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.
April 2, 1977 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball (acknowledges scouting award)
|P36|p1 President Spencer W. Kimball: Thank you very much. I
think I would like to ask all the Scouts in this room to please
stand a moment. [Most of the audience stood.] Thank you very
much.
|p2 I deeply appreciate this recognition and this act of
courtesy on the part of the Boy Scouts of America. I have
enjoyed a long and respectful relationship with Scouting. I
believe in its potential to motivate young men to live with
effectiveness and integrity and to help them prepare for their
manhood. There are some lines from a poet that reflect my
feelings about boys:
|p3 Nobody knows what a boy is worth,
We'll have to wait and see.
But every man in a noble place,
A boy once used to be.
|p4 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands firm
in its commitment to youth, to the families to which they
belong, to the families they themselves will one day form, and
to every program and effort that seek to build and strengthen
and enrich and ennoble youth. The Boy Scouts of America have
found sponsorship in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints since 1913, when we became the first partner to sponsor
Scouting in the United States. We've remained strong and firm in
our support of this great movement for boys and of the Oath and
the Law which are at its center. To commit a boy to do his best
to do his duty to God, to his country, to his fellowmen, to true
principles, and to himself--is to open avenues of vision and
direction for him which can be critically important in his life.
A young man who understands and is fully committed to the great
principles of the Scout Law has his feet firmly planted on a
path that can lead to a happy and constructive life. He will
qualify for his own self-respect, and he will very likely form
wholesome relationships with others and will establish an
honorable family. Being true to Scout principles will help him
in forming a companionship with his Heavenly Father that will
strengthen all the other relationships and aspects of life. It
is our understanding and belief that Scouting is still strongly
centered in these duties and principles, and that there is a
determination in its present leadership to strengthen them
further. This being true, The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints affirms the continued support of Scouting and
will seek to provide leadership which will help boys keep close
to their families and close to the Church as they develop the
qualities of citizenship and character and fitness which
Scouting represents.
|p5 Again, I thank you sincerely for this award.
April 2, 1977 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Our Great Potential
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 President Brigham Young, the second President of this
dispensation, said: "It is supposed by this people that we have
all the ordinances in our possession for life and salvation, and
exaltation, and that we are administering in those ordinances.
This is not the case. We are in possession of all the ordinances
that can be administered in the flesh; but there are other
ordinances and administrations that must be administered beyond
this world. I know you would like to ask what they are. I will
mention one. We have not, neither can we receive here, the
ordinance and the keys of resurrection." (Journal of Discourses,
15:137.)
|p2 Do we have the keys of resurrection? Could you return to the
earth as ones who would never again die--your own parents, your
grandparents, or your ancestors?
|p3 We buried my mother when I was eleven, my father when I was
in my early twenties. I have missed my parents very much. If I
had the power of resurrection as did the Savior of the world, I
would have been tempted to try to have kept them longer.
|p4 I have been called to speak at numerous funerals for people
whom I have known, people whom I have loved, and people whom I
have saved and held onto in a limited way. We do not know of
anyone who can resurrect the dead as did Jesus the Christ when
he brought some back to mortality.
|p5 The keys "will be given to those who have passed off this
stage of action and have received their bodies again. . . . They
will be ordained, by those who hold the keys of the
resurrection, to go forth and resurrect the Saints, just as we
receive the ordinance of baptism then receive the keys of
authority to baptize others for the remission of their sins.
This is one of the ordinances we can not receive here [on the
earth], and there are many more." (JD, 15:137.)
|p6 We remember when the Lord Jesus was in the hinder part of
the ship and was sleeping on a pillow, and his disciples
awakened him and said unto him, "Master, carest thou not that we
perish?
|p7 "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great
calm. . . .
|p8 "And they . . . said [to themselves], What manner of man is
this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark
4:38-39,41.)
|p9 Perhaps there is something else that we will learn as we
perfect our bodies and our spirits in the times to come. You and
I--what helpless creatures are we! Such limited power we have,
and how little can we control the wind and the waves and the
storms! We remember the numerous scriptures which, concentrated
in a single line, were stated by a former prophet, Lorenzo Snow:
"As man is, God once was; and as God is, man may become." This
is a power available to us as we reach perfection and receive
the experience and power to create, to organize, to control
native elements. How limited we are now! We have no power to
force the grass to grow, the plants to emerge, the seeds to
develop.
|p10 "We have no such ordinance here," said Brigham Young. "We
organize according to men in the flesh. By combining the
elements and planting the seed, we cause vegetables, trees,
grains, etc. to come forth." But we do not give them life. "We
are organizing a kingdom here according to the pattern that the
Lord has given for people in the flesh, but not for those who
have received the resurrection, although it is a similitude."
(JD, 15:137.)
|p11 Millions of us have contributed toward the creation and the
development of a spirit, but "the germ of this, God has placed
within us. And when our spirits receive our bodies, and through
our faithfulness we are worthy to be crowned, we will then
receive authority to produce both spirit and body. But these
keys we cannot receive in the flesh." (JD, 15:137.) Again, the
powers of heavens.
|p12 Here is another man, Abraham, a mortal creature and the
ancestor of Moses, who "talked with the Lord, face to face, as
one man talketh with another." (Abr. 3:11.)
|p13 The Lord said: "My son, my son, . . . I will show you all
these. . . . I saw those things which his hands had made . . .
they multiplied before mine eyes, and I could not see the end
thereof." (Abr. 3:12.)
|p14 The Lord showed Abraham the constellations, the worlds as
numerous as the sands of the sea; and the Lord said, "Abraham, I
show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt, that ye may
declare all these words." (Abr. 3:15.) And then came a
succession of creations and planets and worlds which had no end.
|p15 The Lord had sent his angel to deliver Abraham from the
hands of an assassin who would have taken his life on the altar.
The Lord would show him the things which he did not know, "for,"
said he, "I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath,
in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine
eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning
in |P50|p1 the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen."
(Abr. 3:21.)
|p2 And then he opens a new world to the prophet Abraham. The
Lord had shown to Abraham "the intelligences that were organized
before the world was [created]; and among all these there were
many of the, noble and great ones;
|p3 "And God saw these souls that they were good. and he stood
in the midst of them, and he laid: These I will make my rulers;
for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they
were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them;
thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
|p4 "And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and
he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there
is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will
make an earth whereon these may dwell."
|p5 And then he continued with these promises: "And we will
prove them to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord
their God shall command them;
|p6 "And they who keep their first estate [that is, their
spiritual life] shall be added upon and they who keep not their
first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those
who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second
estate [and that is the mortal life] shall have glory added upon
their heads for ever and ever" (Abr. 3:22-26)--if they keep
their estate; if they keep the commandments; if they do all
things whatsoever the Lord God commanded them.
|p7 God has taken these intelligences and given to them spirit
bodies and given them instructions and training. Then he
proceeded to create a world for them and sent them as spirits to
obtain a mortal body, for which he made preparation. And when
they were upon the earth, he gave them instructions on how to go
about developing and conducting their lives to make them
perfect, so they could return to their Father in heaven after
their transitions. Then came the periods of time when souls were
to be placed upon the earth and born to parents who were
permitted to furnish the bodies. But no parent has ever yet on
this earth been the parent of a spirit, because we are so far
yet from perfection. Remember what I said a while ago, that "As
man is, God once was; and as God is, man may become." They came
with the definite understanding that they could return to become
like God and go forward in their great development and progress.
|p8 Could you produce a spirit? Has anyone whom you know ever
produced a spirit? This is a power not given to mortal man, so
there is much for us to learn.
|p9 "We have not the power in the flesh to create and bring
forth or produce a spirit [with all the vaunted knowledge of the
experts in the world, this has not been given to man]; but we
have the power to produce [with the help of God] a temporal body
[for our children]. The germ of this, God has placed within us.
. . . Herein, brethren, you can perceive that we have not
finished, and cannot finish our work, while we live here [on the
earth], no more than Jesus did while he was in the flesh." (JD,
15: 137.)
|p10 Let me mention one more thing. While we are in the mortal
body we cannot "fashion kingdoms [or] organize matter, for [that
is] beyond our capacity and calling, beyond this world. In the
resurrection, men who have been faithful and diligent in all
things in the flesh, [who] have kept their first and second
estate, and [are] worthy to be crowned Gods, even the sons of
God, will be ordained to organize matter. How much matter do you
suppose there is between here and some of the fixed stars which
we can see? Enough to frame many, very many millions of such
earths as this, yet it is now so diffused, clear and pure, that
we look through it and behold the stars. Yet the matter is
there. Can you form any conception of this? Can you form any
idea of the minuteness of matter?" (JD, 15:137.)
|p11 Can you realize even slightly how relatively little we
know? As Paul said, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor. 2:9.)
|p12 We talk about the gospel in its fulness; yet we realize
that a large part is still available to us as we prepare, as we
perfect our lives, and as we become more like our God. Are we
ready for it? In the Doctrine and Covenants we read of Abraham,
who has already attained godhood. He has received many powers,
undoubtedly, that we would |P51|p1 like to have and will
eventually get if we continue faithful and perfect our lives.
|p2 Let me conclude with this thought, the song "O My Father":
|p3 O my Father thou that dwellest
In the high and glorious place,
When shall I regain thy presence,
And again behold thy face?
In thy holy habitation,
Did my spirit once reside?
In my first primeval childhood
Was I nurtured near thy side?
|p4 For a wise and glorious purpose
Thou hast placed me here on earth,
And withheld the recollection
Of my former friends and birth,
Yet ofttimes a secret something
Whispered, "You're a stranger here;"
And I felt that I had wandered
From a more exalted sphere.
|p5 I had learned to call thee Father,
Through thy Spirit from on high;
But until the key of knowledge
Was restored I knew not why
In the heavens are parents single?
No; the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason, truth eternal
Tells me I've a mother there.
|p6 When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, Mother, may I meet you
In your royal courts on high?
Then at length, when I've completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you.
(Hymns, no. 139.)
|p7 My brethren, God bless you as we carry forward our lives
toward perfection so that may attain and receive the blessings
that we are promised, that we may reach godhood eventually and
have the blessings appertaining thereto.
|p8 I ask the Lord to bless us as we go to our homes, as we
train our children, as we teach them the truths of the
everlasting gospel; that they too may arrange their lives early
so that they may point them toward that perfection which the
Lord will recognize in the, eternities. I ask these blessings,
leaving our blessings upon you, with the testimony that this is
the truth, that God lives, and that Jesus is the Christ. You
know it and I know it, and our lives show it in all of our
activities. I bear this testimony to you in the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.
April 3, 1977 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Revelation: The Word of the Lord to His
Prophets
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 We have come to the close of these glorious days of great
spiritual uplift, during which we have listened to words of
inspiration and revelation from our presiding brethren. We have
been blessed by hearing praises to the Lord sung by this great
Tabernacle Choir.
|p2 We have all felt the outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord as
we have assembled in his name to worship and be instructed by
the power of the Holy Ghost. This has always been the pattern of
the meetings of the saints, for we read in the Book of Mormon
the words of Moroni, who said:
|p3 "And their meetings were conducted by the church after the
manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the
Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether
to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to
sing, even so it was done." (Moro. 6:9.)
|p4 We have been counseled in the ways of righteousness, urged
to be faithful and to keep the commandments of God, to love the
Lord and our fellowmen. We have been warned against the pitfalls
of following the ways of Satan and counseled to resist evil by
being humble, prayerful, and submissive to the constant
promptings of the Spirit. We have this great promise from the
Lord given in our day:
|p5 "Assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your
Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of
whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart,
believing that you shall receive. . . .
|p6 "Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your
heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which
shall dwell in your heart.
|p7 "Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation. (D&C 8:1-3.)
|p8 Of all things, that for which we should be most grateful
today is that the heavens are indeed open and that the restored
church of Jesus Christ is founded upon the rock of revelation.
Continuous revelation is indeed the very lifeblood of the gospel
of the living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
|p9 We proclaim to the world in one of our Articles of Faith,
"We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now
reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and
important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (Ninth
Article of Faith.)
|p10 From the scripture of ancient time comes this ringing
declaration: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he
revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos
3:7.)
|p11 This postulation to the prophet Amos has come down from
antiquity and speaks of the Lord "Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Heb. 13:8.)
|p12 We read of the unchangeable Lord in the holy scriptures. In
the Bible, which we proclaim "to be the word of God as far as it
is translated correctly" (Eighth Article of Faith), the Old
Testament prophets from Adam to Malachi are testifying of the
divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Jesus
Christ was the God of the Old Testament, and it was He who
conversed with Abraham and Moses. It was He who inspired Isaiah
and Jeremiah; it was He who foretold through those chosen men
the happenings of the future, even to the latest day and hour.
|p13 And the New Testament is what it implies--a new, additional
witness and testimony of the sonship of Jesus Christ and the
fatherhood of the Father and the divinity of this work, and the
necessity of living the gospel, which he outlined and
proclaimed.
|p14 We do not accept the theory of the so-called teachers of
Christianity, that the Old Testament constituted the total words
of God's prophets; nor do we believe the New Testament to be the
end of revelation. We testify that rather than an end of
revelations of God, they continue to pour forth from God for the
welfare and benefit of men.
|p15 I believe with Peter of old who said: "For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man: But holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Pet. 1:21.)
|p16 How this confused world of today needs revelation from God.
With war and pestilence and famine, with poverty, desolation,
with more and more graft, dishonesty, and immorality, certainly
the people of this world need revelation from God as never
before. How absurd it would be to think that the Lord would give
to a small handful of people in Palestine and the Old World his
precious direction through revelation and now, in our extremity,
close the heavens.
|p17 However, it is the sad truth that if prophets and people
are unreachable, the Lord generally does nothing for them.
Having given them free agency, their Heavenly Father calls,
persuades, and directs aright his children, but waits for their
upreaching hands, their solemn prayers, their sincere, dedicated
approach to him. If they are heedless, they are left floundering
in midnight's darkness when they could have the noonday |P77|p1
sun.
|p2 When the children of Israel would not live the commandments,
believe in him, and follow his program, the Lord said: "And I
will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven
as iron, and your earth as brass:
|p3 "And your strength shall be spent. . . ." (Lev. 26:19-20.)
|p4 If the Bible were "the end of the prophets," then it was
through lack of faith and belief, and that is the reason the
heavens at times were closed and locked and became as iron, and
the earth as brass. When the heavens are sealed, the spiritual
darkness that follows is not unlike that physical darkness in
Nephite history, when "neither candles, neither torches; neither
could there be fire kindled with their fine and exceedingly dry
wood." (3 Ne. 8:21.)
|p5 The Lord will not force himself upon people, and if they do
not believe, they will receive no revelation. If they are
content to depend upon their own limited calculations and
interpretations, then, of course, the Lord will leave them to
their chosen fate.
|p6 Speaking of miracles and revelation, the Book of Mormon
prophet Moroni states this:
|p7 "If these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also;
and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had
been no redemption made." (Moro. 7:38.)
|p8 In the meridian of time, the Son of God, the Light of the
World, came and opened the curtains of heaven, and earth and
heaven were again in communion.
|p9 But when the light of that century went out, the darkness
was again impenetrable; the heavens were sealed and the "dark
ages moved in.
|p10 I bear witness to the world today that more than a century
and a half ago the iron ceiling was shattered; the heavens were
once again opened, and since that time revelations have been
continuous.
|p11 That new day dawned when another soul with passionate
yearning prayed for divine guidance. A spot of hidden solitude
was found, knees were bent, a heart was humbled, pleadings were
voiced, and a light brighter than the noonday sun illuminated
the world--the curtain never to be closed again.
|p12 A young lad spoken of by some of our brethren today, Joseph
Smith, of incomparable faith, broke the spell, shattered the
"heavens of iron" and reestablished communication. Heaven kissed
the earth, light dissipated the darkness, and God again spoke to
man, revealing anew his secret unto his servants the prophets."
(Amos 3:7.) A new prophet was in the land and through him God
set up his kingdom, never to be destroyed nor left to another
people--a kingdom that will stand forever.
|p13 The foreverness of this kingdom and the revelations which
it brought into existence are absolute realities. Never again
will the sun go down; never again will all men prove totally
unworthy of communication with their Maker. Never again will God
be hidden from his children on the earth. Revelation is here to
remain.
|p14 In the early years of his newly established dispensation,
the Lord set his divine law of succession, and prophets have
followed each other and will continue to follow each other in
never-ending, divinely appointed succession, and the secrets of
the Lord will be revealed without measure.
|p15 By the power of God other books of scripture have come into
being. Vital and priceless records of ancient America, with
teachings of Christ, another testimony of his divinity, form the
Book of Mormon, which we declare to be divine scripture,
contemporary |P78|p1 with and sustaining the Bible.
|p2 Since that momentous day in 1820, additional scripture has
continued to come, including the numerous and vital revelations
flowing in a never-ending stream from God to his prophets on the
earth. Many of these revelations are recorded in another
scripture called the Doctrine and Covenants. Completing our
Latter-day Saint scriptures is the Pearl of Great Price, another
record of revelation and translated writings of both ancient and
modern prophets.
|p3 There are those who would assume that with the printing and
binding of these sacred records, that would be the "end of the
prophets." But again we testify to the world that revelation
continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain
these revelations which come month to month and day to day. We
testify also that there is, since 1830 when The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, and will continue to
be, so long as time shall last, a prophet, recognized of God and
his people, who will continue to interpret the mind and will of
the Lord.
|p4 Now, a word of warning: Let us not make the error of the
ancients. Numerous modern sectarians believe in the Abrahams,
the Moseses, and the Pauls, but resist believing in today's
prophets. The ancients also could accept the prophets of an
earlier day, but denounced and cursed the ones who were their
contemporaries.
|p5 In our day, as in times past, many people expect that if
there be revelation it will come with awe-inspiring,
earth-shaking display. For many it is hard to accept as
revelation those numerous ones in Moses' time, in Joseph's time,
and in our own year--those revelations which come to prophets as
deep, unassailable impressions settling down on the prophet's
mind and heart as dew from heaven or as the dawn dissipates the
darkness of night.
|p6 Expecting the spectacular, one may not be fully alerted to
the constant flow of revealed communication. I say, in the
deepest of humility, but also by the power and force of a
burning testimony in my soul, that from the prophet of the
Restoration to the prophet of our own year, the communication
line is unbroken, the authority is continuous, and light,
brilliant and penetrating continues to shine. The sound of the
voice of the Lord is a continuous melody and a thunderous
appeal. For nearly a century and a half there has been no
interruption.
|p7 Man never needs to stand alone. Every faithful person may
have the inspiration for his own limited kingdom. But the Lord
definitely calls prophets today and reveals his secrets unto
them as he did yesterday, he does today, and will do tomorrow:
that is the way it is. As we sang "We Thank Thee, 0 God, for a
Prophet" earlier in the afternoon, a thought ran through my mind
which I have expressed before. I hope you were all thinking of
Joseph Smith, of Brigham Young, of John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff
and all the other Presidents. I hope you were thinking of
President David O. McKay and President Joseph Fielding Smith,
President Harold B. Lee and all of those who have filled this
position.
|p8 They have contributed a great service. They have done a
great work for the people of this world. They have organized the
Church and continued to develop it, and it has grown
tremendously under their care.
|p9 I hope we will always remember that and not let it all be
centered in the living person who currently serves, because the
works of God continue in all these areas.
|p10 Before I close I should like to mention two other matters.
One, I hope you have had the opportunity to see the four
beautiful statues that have been placed just east of the temple
in the central Church plaza. These four are a part of the group
of thirteen statues honoring women that will be set up next year
in the Relief Society park in Nauvoo, at the visitors center
there. These four have been placed in the plaza for your
enjoyment. They are lovely indeed. We invite you to visit that
area and see the statues while you are here in Salt Lake City.
|p11 I was impressed when Elder Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of
Joseph Smith so tenderly, and sweetly, and the thought went
through my mind of that last night in Carthage, Illinois. They
were gathered together with the mob all around them and the
Prophet Joseph Smith asked one of the brethren to sing for him
"A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief."
|p12 A poor wayfaring Man of grief
Hath often crossed me on my way,
Who sued so humbly for relief
That I could never answer, Nay.
I had not power to ask his name,
Whereto he went, or whence he came;
Yet there was something in his eye
That won my love; I knew not why.
|p13 "Once, when my scanty meal was spread,
He entered, not a word he spake;
Just perishing for want of bread,
I gave him all he blessed it, brake,
|p14 And ate, but gave me part again;
Mine was an angel's portion then,
For while I fed with eager haste,
The crust was manna to my taste.
|p15 I spied him where a fountain burst
Clear from the rock; his strength was
gone;
The heedless water mocked his thirst;
He heard it, saw it, hurrying on.
I ran and raised the sufferer up; Thrice from the
stream he drained my
cup,
Dipped and returned it running o'er;
I drank and never thirsted more.
|p16 Twas night; the floods were out; it blew
A winter hurricane aloof;
I heard his voice abroad and flew
To bid him welcome to my roof.
I warmed and clothed and cheered my
guest
And laid him on my couch to rest,
Then made the earth my bed, and seemed
In Eden's garden while I dreamed.
Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side;
I roused his pulse, brought back his
breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment--he was healed;
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.
|p17 In prison I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor's doom at morn;
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed
And honored him `mid shame and scorn.
My friendship's utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for him would die;
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill;
But the free spirit cried, "I will!"
|p18 Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise;
The tokens in his hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name he named
"Of me thou hast not been ashamed
These deeds shall thy memorial be,
Fear not, thou didst them unto me."
(Hymns, no. 153.)
|p19 God bless you, brothers and sisters. It has been a
wonderful conference and a joy to mingle with you these days.
Peace be with you; and may His joy and peace continue with you.
We know it is true. I know the Lord lives and I know that he is
revealing his mind and will to us daily, so that we can be
inspired as to the direction to go.
|p20 We ask this all, with our affection for you, in the name
of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 1, 1977 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Foundations of Righteousness
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, it is a joy to be with you
again in another general conference.
|p2 Home Evening
|p3 Regarding our home evenings, an evening home with the family
or an evening out to some place of interest with your family
only partly solves the need of the home evening. Basically
important is the teaching of the children the way of life that
is vitally important. Merely going to a show or a party
together, or fishing, only half satisfies the real need, but to
stay home and teach the children the gospel, the scriptures, and
love for each other and love for their parents is most
important.
|p4 We have recommended that so far as possible all the children
have their own scriptures and learn to use them.
|p5 Patriarchal Blessings
|p6 These are happy days, the days of the patriarchs, and it is
our great hope that every person, including the older youth,
will be given the opportunity of having a patriarchal blessing,
which is recorded in the official records of the Church.
|p7 I have great confidence in the patriarchs and in their
blessings. When the patriarch is a faithful Latter-day Saint and
remains close to the Lord and is a student of the scriptures,
the promises which he makes under his special authority and
calling will be fulfilled, if the recipient of the blessing is
faithful and true.
|p8 Of course, it is the right of every father and his duty as
patriarch of his own family to give a father's blessing to his
children, and it is our hope that every father will give a
sacred blessing to each of his children, especially as they are
leaving home to go to school or on missions or to be married,
which blessing should then be noted in the individual's private
journal.
|p9 Records
|p10 A word about personal journals and records: We urge every
person in the Church to keep a diary or a journal from youth up,
all through his life.
|p11 Would every family, as they now hold their home evenings,
train their children from young childhood to keep a journal of
the important activities of their lives, and certainly when they
begin to leave home for schooling and missions?
|p12 Clean-Up
|p13 We are highly pleased with the response to the planting of
gardens. It is health-building, both from the raising of crops
and the eating of them. It is delightful to see so many gardens
all over the land, and reports come in from numerous families
and individuals who have obtained much saving and pleasure in
the planting of gardens. We hope this will be a permanent
experience of our people, that they will raise much of what they
use on their table.
|p14 In addition to the gardens, we hope our people will
straighten up their fences and clean the fence lines and tear
down the old unused barns and outbuildings.
|p15 Choirs
|p16 We are grateful that many of our bishops have established
excellent choirs for their services. It is splendid and we
encourage it.
|p17 Education
|p18 The Church from the beginning has been committed to the
principle that "the glory of God is intelligence." (D&C 93:36.)
We therefore encourage our people to study and prepare to render
service with their minds and with their hands.
|p19 Some are inclined toward formal university training, and
some are inclined more toward the practIcal vocational training.
We feel that our people should receive that kind of training
which is most consistent with their interests and talents.
Whether it be in the professions, the arts, or the vocations;
whether it be university or vocational training, we applaud and
encourage it.
|p20 Vandalism and Theft
|p21 Our faith has been greatly strained, as we have learned of
the profligate stealing in some communities, where millions of
dollars are taken by shoplifters from our merchants.
|p22 In the end, the public must eventually pay. Why would any
man, woman, or child steal from the friendly merchants and his
folks and neighbors? This is unbelievable.
|p23 And great losses are sustained with the incredible amount
of vandalism. We can hardly understand the makeup of any person
who would destroy for the mere satisfaction of doing it.
Certainly we could have more pride in ourselves than to wreak
havoc on property. Is it possible that some of us have that
little respect for ourselves?
|p24 Brothers and sisters, we hope that we will all live
frugally (as was discussed in our welfare meeting), and within
our means, and that we will pay our debts faithfully and
honestly.
|p25 It was the Lord who gave us the injunction: "Thou shalt not
steal." (Exod. 20:15.)
|p26 In many parts of the world there are people who take
delight in various destructive activities. These people are
|P5|p1 sadists, like Nero, the emperor of Rome, who is said to
have burned the city of Rome to watch a big fire, and then
blamed it upon the Christians. He is said to have loved the
circuses of ancient Rome with all their sadistic activities, and
we wonder what makes men so. And why do people slash tires,
break windows, beat up innocent people, and set fires and throw
bombs?
|p2 Let the Lord answer this matter:
|p3 "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do
them;...
|p4 "I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and
none shall make you afraid....
|p5 "And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye
shall be my people." (Lev. 26:3, 6, 12.)
|p6 Permissiveness
|p7 The growing permissiveness in modern society gravely
concerns us. Certainly our Heavenly Father is distressed with
the increasing inroads among his children of such insidious sins
adultery and fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, abortions,
pornography, population control, alcoholism, cruelty expressed
in wife-beating and child-abuse, dishonesty, vandalism,
violence, and crime generally, including the sin of living
together without marriage.
|p8 We call upon our Church members everywhere to renew their
efforts to strengthen the home and to honor their parents, and
to build better communications between parent and child.
|p9 Important as it is, building stronger homes is not enough in
the fight against rising permissiveness. We therefore urge
Church members as citizens to lift their voices, to join others
in unceasingly combatting, in their communities and beyond, the
inroads of pornography and the general flaunting of
permissiveness. Let us vigorously oppose the shocking
developments which encourage the old sins of Sodom and Gomorrah,
and which defile the human body as the temple of God.
|p10 To our beloved brethren and sisters everywhere, as well as
to all peoples of the world who love the Lord and desire to live
in harmony with the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we
say no people can remain strong and happy who condone these
loose standards of morality.
|p11 While we cannot tolerate sin and we exercise Church
discipline against those who do sin, we must help the
transgressor, with love and understanding, to work his or her
way back to full fellowship in the Church. Let us help each
toward the blessing of a lasting repentance, a resolute turning
away from error.
|p12 I have on occasion cited the need for many reservoirs in
our lives to provide for our needs. I have said, "Some
reservoirs are to store water. Some are to store food, as we do
in our family welfare program and as Joseph did in the land of
Egypt during the seven years of plenty. There should also be
reservoirs of knowledge to meet the future needs; reservoirs of
courage to overcome the floods of fear that put uncertainty in
our lives; reservoirs of physical strength to help us meet the
frequent burdens of work and illness; reservoirs of goodness;
reservoirs of stamina; reservoirs of faith.
|p13 Yes, especially reservoirs of faith. so that when the world
presses in upon us, we stand firm and strong; when the
temptations of a decaying [and, I should add, increasingly
permissive and wicked] world about us draw on our energies, sap
our spiritual vitality, and seek to pull us down, we need a
storage of faith that can carry youth, and later adults, over
the dull, the difficult, the terrifying moments;
disappointments; disillusionments; and years of want, confusion,
and frustration.
|p14 "And who is to build these reservoirs? Is this not the
reason that God gave to every child two parents?
|p15 "It is those parents who sired them and bore them who are
expected [by the Lord] to lay foundations for their children and
to build the barns and tanks and bins and reservoirs." (Faith
Precedes the Miracle, Deseret Book, pp.110-11.)
|p17 We must be aware that one of the most powerful forces Satan
uses to destroy our purity of life is the deceit of conspiring
men.
|p18 While deceitful men produce and sell alcoholic drinks the
whole world over, to the amount of millions of gallons and for
millions in gains and profits, the truth of the Lord's words is
coming home today in the terms of poverty; broken health; broken
homes; broken hearts; industrial distress through loss of
efficiency, lower production and absenteeism; and carnage on the
world's highways, caused partly through the determination to
exceed the speed limits on the highways.
|P6|p1 In this day of the "new morality" as sex permissiveness
is sometimes called we should be made aware of the Lord's
concern about immorality and the seriousness of sex sins of all
kinds.
|p2 We have come far in material progress in this century, but
the sins of the ancients increasingly afflict the hearts of men
today. Can we not learn by the experiences of others? Must we
also defile our bodies, corrupt our souls, and reap destruction
as have peoples and nations before us?
|p3 God will not be mocked. His laws are immutable. True
repentance is rewarded by forgiveness, but sin brings the sting
of death.
|p4 We hear more and more each day about the sins of adultery,
homosexuality, and lesbianism. Homosexuality is an ugly sin, but
because of its prevalence, the need to warn the uninitiated, and
the desire to help those who may already be involved with it, it
must be brought into the open.
|p5 It is the sin of the ages. It was present in Israel's
wandering as well as after and before. It was tolerated by the
Greeks. It was prevalent in decaying Rome. The ancient cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah are symbols of wretched wickedness more
especially related to this perversion, as the incident of Lot's
visitors indicates.
|p6 There is today a strong clamor to make such practices legal
by passing legislation. Some would also legislate to legalize
prostitution. They have legalized abortion, seeking to remove
from this heinous crime the stigma of sin.
|p7 We do not hesitate to tell the world that the cure for these
evils is not in surrender.
|p8 "But let us emphasize that right and wrong, righteousness
and sin, are not dependent upon man's interpretations,
conventions and attitudes. Social acceptance does not change the
status of an act, making wrong into right. If all the people in
the world were to accept homosexuality, ... the practice would
still be a deep, dark sin." (The Miracle of Forgiveness,
Bookcraft, p. 79.)
|p9 As we think back upon the experiences of Nineveh, Babylon,
Sodom and Gomorrah, we wonder will history repeat itself? What
of our world today? Are we forgetting in our great nations the
high and lofty principles which can preserve the nations?
|p10 I recall to mind the words of General Douglas MacArthur on
the occasion of the Japanese surrender:
|p11 "Military alliance, balances of power. League of Nations
all in turn failed. ... We have had our last chance. If we do
not now devise some greater and more equitable system,
Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is
theological and involves ... improvement of human character. It
must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh." (Douglas
MacArthur, "Last Chance," Time, September 10, 1945.)
|p12 Are we not inviting eventual destruction as we desecrate
all things holy and sacred, even to the common and irreverent
use in our daily talk of the names of Deity, and make his holy
day, the Sabbath, a day of work, of commercialism, and of
pleasure-seeking?
|p13 How then can we hope to escape the wrath of God and have
peace and righteousness in the land? The answer came thundering
down from Mt. Sinai and remains the answer. We go to Sinai:
|p14 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
|p15 "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
...
|p16 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ...
|p17 "Honour thy father and thy mother. ...
|p18 "Thou shalt not kill.
|p19 "Thou shalt not commit adultery.
|p20 "Thou shalt not steal.
|p21 "Thou shalt not bear false witness. ...
|p22 "Thou shalt not covet." (Exod. 20:3, 7-8, 12-17.)
|p23 And now in the year of our Lord 1977 there are among us
those same vices which we have seen wreck empires, and we see
them becoming flagrant in all nations. Shall we, like
Belshazzar, sow the wind and reap the whirlwind? Shall we permit
the home to deteriorate and marriage to become a mockery? Shall
we continue to curse God, hate our enemies, and defile our
bodies in adulterous and sensuous practices? And when the
patience of the Lord with us is exhausted, shall we stand
trembling while destruction comes upon us? Or shall we wisely
see the handwriting on the wall and profit by the sad experience
of the past and return unto the Lord and serve him?
|p24 I testify that Jesus is the Christ, this is his program; he
is the God of this world, and I know that we can achieve our
destiny and build enduring peace only upon the foundations of
righteousness.
|p25 And may he help us to strive to live his laws and to
achieve happiness on earth, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
October 1, 1977 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Power of Forgiveness
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 You have now heard from both of my wonderful counselors.
They are great men and carry much of the load of this great
Church.
|p2 Brethren, I should like to say a few words to you tonight
before we close. We are deeply concerned over the need to reduce
the inflow from the youth of the Church into the ranks of
inactive adults and also to bring substantial numbers out of the
adult rank into activity. With this in mind, we have the
following to suggest:
|p3 1. A greater effort in fellowshipping converts to the
Church. It is imperative that those who are baptized as converts
immediately be assigned home teachers who will fellowship them
in a very personal and concerned manner. These home teachers,
working with their priesthood officers, should see that each
mature convert is given some challenging activity as well as an
opportunity and encouragement to increase his knowledge of the
gospel. He should be assisted in establishing social
relationships with the members of the Church so that he will not
feel alone as he begins his life as an active Latter-day Saint.
|p4 2. Added emphasis on the approved Aaronic Priesthood Young
Men and Young Women programs. These have been designed to
strengthen the teaching process of our youth and to afford them
rewarding and challenging opportunities for the kinds of
activities which will give expression to their many and varied
talents. In saving our youth, we save generations.
|p5 3. Infusing ward and stake Relief Society officers with an
added sense of responsibility to enroll the women of the Church
and bring them into full activity. This will entail an
accommodation in scheduling meetings so that it will be possible
for more of our women to attend and participate in the program
of this great organization. We ask that bishops consult with
their Relief Society presidents concerning this.
|p6 4. Impressing our home teachers to take upon themselves
greater responsibility for members of the Church who move from
one area to another. Through contacts with relatives and
neighbors, many of those who move can be identified and steps
taken to see that they are welcomed immediately upon arrival in
the area of their new residency.
|p7 5. Working more actively with those whom we classify as
prospective elders. Under our present program, our elders
quorums assume responsibility for these men. It should be
|P46|p1 remembered however, that provision is made in the
program under which high priests and even seventies may be
called to assist with these men. The elders quorum, through the
priesthood executive committee, may ask that high priests serve
as home teachers to some of these men, particularly to those who
would find greater congeniality with high priest home teachers.
Likewise, in those families where there are nonmembers of the
Church, the seventies might be asked to assist, with the thought
that they will go to the homes not only as home teachers, but
also as missionaries to the nonmembers of the Church who may
reside there. I am satisfied, brethren, that we can do much more
than we are now doing to bring many of these men back into full
activity. In so doing, we shall bless their lives and the lives
of their families, and in a very substantial manner strengthen
the work of the Lord.
|p2 6. For years we have urged that seminars be held to which
prospective elders and their wives, as well as inactive elders,
may be invited to meet together. There, under the tutelage of an
inspired and effective teacher they can increase their knowledge
of the gospel with the objective that they may prepare
themselves to go to the house of the Lord. We have approved a
course of study for such seminars. This has been prepared under
the direction of the priesthood Executive Committee, and we are
hopeful that bishops and stake presidents will utilize it in
this important undertaking.
|p3 Brethren, we cannot relax while many of our brothers and
sisters and many of our young men and women are failing to
participate in the programs of the Church. I ask that you again
reflect on your responsibilities in this matter and take steps
to accelerate this work of redemption.
|p4 I knew a young mother who lost her husband by death. The
family had been in poor circumstances and the insurance policy
was only $2,000, but it was like a gift from heaven. The company
promptly delivered the check for that amount as soon as proof of
death was furnished. The young widow concluded she should save
this for emergencies, and accordingly deposited it in the bank.
Others knew of her savings, and one kinsman convinced her that
she should lend the $2,000 to him at a high rate of interest.
|p5 Years passed and she had received neither principal nor
interest. She noticed that the borrower avoided her and made
evasive promises when she asked him about the money. Now she
needed the money and it could not be had.
|p6 "How I hate him!" she told me, and her voice breathed venom
and bitterness and her dark eyes flashed. To think that an
able-bodied man would defraud a young widow with a family to
support! "How I loathe him!" she repeated over and over. Then I
told her my Bishop Kempton story where a man forgave the
murderer of his father. She listened intently. I saw she was
impressed. At the conclusion there were tears in her eyes. and
she whispered: "Thank you. Thank you sincerely. Surely I, too,
must forgive my enemy. I will now cleanse my heart of its
bitterness. I do not expect ever to receive the money, but I
leave my offender in the hands of the Lord."
|p7 Weeks later, she saw me again and confessed that those
intervening weeks had been the happiest of her life. A new peace
had overshadowed her and she was able to pray for the offender
and forgive him, even though she never received back a single
dollar. (See Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness,
Bookcraft, 1969, pp. 293-94.)
|p8 I saw another woman once whose little girl had been
violated. "I will never forgive the culprit so long as I live,"
she repeated every time it came into her mind. Vicious and ugly
was the act. Anyone would be shocked and disturbed at such a
crime, but to be unwilling to forgive is not Christlike. The
foul deed was done and could not be undone. The culprit had been
disciplined. In her bitterness the woman shriveled and shrank
into a miserable person. (See The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.
294.)
|p9 Contrast this woman with the Latter-day Saint girl who
climbed the heights of self-control as she forgave the man who
disfigured her lovely face. Let the United Press newsman, Neal
Corbett, tell the story as it appeared in the pages of the San
Francisco newspapers.
|p10 "`I would think he must be suffering, anybody who's like
that, we ought to feel sorry for him,' said April Aaron of the
man who had sent her to a hospital for three weeks, following a
brutal ... knife attack. April Aaron is a devout Mormon, 22
years of age. ... She is a secretary who is as pretty as her
name, but her face has just one blemish--the right eye is
missing ... April lost it to the `wildly slashing knife of a
purse snatcher,' near San Francisco's Golden Gate Park while en
route to an MIA dance. ... She also suffered deep slashes on her
left arm and right leg during a struggle with her assailant,
after she tripped and fell in her efforts to elude him just one
block from the Mormon chapel. ...
|p11 "`I ran for a block and a half before he caught me. You
can't run very fast on high heels,' April said with a smile.
Slashes on her leg were so severe [that] doctors feared for a
time it would need amputation. The sharp edge of the weapon
could damage neither April's vivaciousness, nor her compassion.
|p12 "`... I wish that somebody could do something for him, to
help him. He should have some treatment. Who knows what leads a
person to do a thing like this? If they don't find him, he's
likely to do it again.'
|p13 "... April Aaron has won the hearts of the people in the
San Francisco Bay area with her courage and good spirit in face
of tragedy. Her room at St. Francis hospital was banked with
flowers throughout her stay and attendants said they couldn't
recall when anyone received more cards and expressions of good
wishes." (Cited in The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 294.)
|p14 The following is taken from a Los Angeles newspaper account
attesting to the strength of people who have risen above the
sordid revenge and ugly bitterness which so often prevail in
such circumstances:
|p15 "Three men were apprehended for the kidnap-murder of Marvin
W. Merrill of Los Angeles. I knew Marvin personally--this young
man grew up in my community--from his childhood. Angelo B.
Rollins, a black postal employee, was selected by the
mail-carriers at Wagner Station to represent them by reading a
eulogy at the funeral services. Elder Merrill had served the
postal department for more than 20 years. Scattered throughout
the chapel and overflow room were scores of postmen who came
directly from their postal routes, still in their uniforms. ...
Rollins said: `No man can condone the actions of the
perpetrators who ended his life. These vicious and vile acts
that make us bow our heads in shame, point an accusing finger at
innocent millions as a nation of offenders. In my sinful
weakness, I would have rent them limb from limb,'" said this
man, "`but the still small voice of the Master said, "Vengeance
is Mine." ... This Mormon Elder, Marvin Merrill, firm in the
strength of his faith, and steeped in the teachings of Christ,
would probably have said of them, as did our Savior at Calvary,
"Father, forgive them, for they |P47|p1 know not what they
do."'" (Cited in The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 295.)
|p2 Once I heard a neighbor say, "I hate those people across the
border. They are dirty men. They have done so much evil in the
world." This man had not stopped to think that among that people
were numerous good men, honest and upright. They were not
responsible for what the leaders of the country had done. All
men were not as vicious or cruel. They should not be judged by
the evil deeds of their fellow nationals. Most men were grieved
by the kinds of evil committed.
|p3 Another neighbor was bitter against the people across his
boundary. He often repeated "I hate the men over there. They
have been cruel, vicious, and unrelenting."
|p4 I said to this neighbor, "I personally love that people.
Only a limited number were cruel and vicious. There are mighty
good people among them, some of them lovable sons of God."
|p5 I knew of two soldiers on a fierce battlefront, when during
a temporary armistice in the war, one young man crossed the
battle line and asked his antagonist, "Is there a Mormon elder
in your lines?"
|p6 The other answered, "Yes, I am a Mormon."
|p7 He then asked, "Would you come behind our trench lines and
help me administer to and bless a wounded buddy?" Across the
"no-man's land" they walked together, these two men, former
enemies. One anointed and the other sealed the anointing, and
the wounded chap was blessed. A great peace entered their souls.
The other man returned to his front lines to his duty, and he
also had a new feeling of peace.
|p8 Of course, we do not hold all men responsible for what
individuals do. We learn to forgive.
|p9 I had another experience in a very important area in the
Church. Unfortunately, two Church leaders had become embroiled
in a feud and neither would yield.
|p10 I had held a stake conference all day and had gone without
my supper and had traveled over a range of mountains to meet
these unhappy people.
|p11 Hour after hour we served, and begged, and endeavored to
convince them to change their minds and get them together, all
to no avail.
|p12 Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve o'clock, one, and two
o'clock and the night was going fast, and I was very, very
weary. I flipped open my Doctrine and Covenants again.
Automatically it turned to page 105 and I read it to them. They
almost gasped for wonder, and this is what we read:
|p13 "Nevertheless, he has sinned; but |P48|p1 verily I say unto
you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins
before me and ask forgiveness who have not sinned unto death.
|p2 "My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion against one
another and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for
this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.
|p3 "Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought, to forgive one
another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses
standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him
the greater sin.
|p4 "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive but of you it
is required to forgive all men.
|p5 "And ye ought to say in your hearts--let God judge between
me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds.
|p6 "And him that repenteth not of his sins, and confesseth them
not, ye shall bring before the church, and do with him as the
scripture saith unto you, either by commandment or by
revelation. (D&C 64:7-12.)
|p7 I could feel the two antagonists were yielding and I read
the Lord's Prayer, wherein He said,
|p8 "But when ye pray use not vain repetitions, as the heathen
do....
|p9 "For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before
ye ask him.
|p10 "After this manner ... pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
|p11 "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth. as it is in
heaven.
|p12 "Give us this day our daily bread.
|p13 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
|p14 "And lead us not into temptation. but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.
Amen." (Matt. 6:7-13.)
|p15 As though he needed to refresh their minds. the Lord
returned to the theme:
|p16 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you:
|p17 "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses. neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt. 6:14-15.)
|p18 Hard to do? Of course. The Lord never promised an easy
road, nor a simple gospel. nor low standards, nor a low norm.
The price is high, but the goods attained are worth all they
cost. The Lord himself turned the other cheek: he suffered
himself to be buffeted and beaten without remonstrance; he
suffered every indignity and yet spoke no word of condemnation.
And his question to all of us is: "Therefore, what manner of men
ought ye to be?" And his answer to us is: "Even as I am." (3 Ne.
27:27.)
|p19 In his The Prince of Peace, William Jennings Bryan wrote:
|p20 "The most difficult of all the virtues to cultivate is the
forgiving spirit. Revenge seems to be natural with man; it is
human to want to get even with an enemy. It has even been
popular to boast of vindictiveness; it was once inscribed on a
man's monument that he had repaid both friends and enemies more
than he had received. This was not the spirit of Christ."
(Independence, Zion's Printing and Publishing Company. 1925, p.
35.)
|p21 If we have been wronged or injured, forgiveness means to
blot it completely from our minds. To forgive and forget is an
ageless counsel. "To be wronged or robbed," said the Chinese
philosopher Confucius, "is nothing unless you continue to
remember it."
|p22 The injuries inflicted by neighbors, by relatives, or by
spouses are generally of a minor nature, at least at first. We
must forgive them. Since the Lord is so merciful, must not we
be? "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (3
Ne. 12:7) is another version of the Golden Rule. "All manner of
sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men," said the Lord,
"but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven
unto men." (Matt. 12:31.) If the Lord is so gracious and kind,
we must be also.
|p23 "When such people as the widow, Bishop Kempton, April Aaron
and others grievously wronged can forgive; when men like Stephen
and Paul can forgive vicious attacks against themselves and set
the example of forgiveness; then all men should be able to
forgive in their reach for perfection.
|p24 "Across the barren deserts of hate and greed and grudge is
the beautiful valley of paradise. We read in the papers and hear
on TV constantly that the world `is in an awful mess.' Not true!
The world is still most beautiful. It is man who is off center.
The sun still illumines the day and gives light and life to all
things; the moon still brightens the night; oceans still feed
the world and provide transportation; rivers still drain the
land, and provide irrigation water to nourish crops. Even the
ravages of time have not sloughed off the majesty of the
mountains. Flowers still bloom and birds still sing, and
children still laugh and play. What is wrong with the world is
man-made.
|p25 "It can be done. Man can conquer self. Man can overcome.
Man can forgive all who have trespassed against him and go on to
receive peace in this life and eternal life in the world to
come." (The Miracle of Forgiveness p. 300.)
|p26 Now we come to a realization that the kingdom of God and
the church of Jesus Christ constitute a world church. It is fast
coming to have world dominion. We, its members, must learn to
contain ourselves and love all mankind, all our brothers and
sisters of every nation and clime. Certainly we shall be wholly
without enmity or grudge or ill feeling. We must forgive to be
forgiven. Let God be the righteous judge.
|p27 We shall love all our neighbors as ourselves and God will
bless all of us. Jesus Christ, also our Lord and Savior, is the
Lord of this world. God bless us that we may follow closely his
dictates, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 1, 1977 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
WELFARE SESSION
October 1, 1977
Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Singing this song ["Improve the Shining Moments"] takes me
back some generations. My beloved mother, who died early in my
life, used to hum this song as she went about the house
preparing the meals and taking care of our home. So it's very
dear to me.
|p2 It's good to meet with you again in conference--to consider
our covenants, our duties, our blessings, and to learn the mind
and will of our Heavenly Father.
|p3 As I considered my remarks for this welfare session, I was
struck by the thought that if we measure a generation as forty
years, then a generation has passed since the reestablishment of
this great welfare work in October of 1916. In my mind's eye the
great leaders of this effort passed in review: Presidents Heber
J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark. Jr., David O. McKay, Henry D. Moyle.
Harold B. Lee, Marion G. Romney, and many more too numerous to
review. So also their counsels and their teachings of the
scriptures have been recalled to mind.
|p4 As I recounted their contributions and the Church's splendid
growth in Welfare Services. I encountered this question: Do our
people today and more particularly do our regional, stake, and
ward leaders today have the same grasp of welfare principles and
the same commitment to welfare services work as did those of
this previous generation?
|p5 I am constrained to agree with President Romney's assessment
of this, when in an instructional session of General Authorities
several years ago he stated:
|p6 "As `There arose up a new king over Egypt. which knew not
Joseph' (Exodus 1:8), so there has arisen in the Church a new
generation of bishops and stake presidents who have not been
taught and trained as were their predecessors." (Marion G.
Romney, The Basics of Church Welfare, March 6, 1974.)
|p7 Because of the overriding significance of this great welfare
plan, I thought it appropriate to restate the fundamental truths
of this work and to emphasize how we should apply these in this
generation. My hope is that we may intensify, if possible, our
spiritual heritage in this work and, building on their
foundation, lengthen our stride in its present implementation.
|p8 Since the first dispensation of time on this earth the Lord
has required his people to love their neighbors as themselves.
Of Enoch's generation we are told that the Lord blessed the
land. and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the
high places, and did flourish.
|p9 "And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of
one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there
was no poor among them." (Moses 7: 17-18.)
|p10 All through the Book of Mormon we see leaders teaching and
generations learning this truth as spoken by that benevolent
king, Benjamin:
|p11 "And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken
unto you--that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your
sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God--I
would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every
man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their
relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their
wants." (Mosiah 4:26.)
|p12 In Fourth Nephi we witness the blessings of the Nephites as
they subdue selfishness and prosper in perfect righteousness for
four generations. Who does not thrill to this picture of the
ideal of Zion?
|p13 "And they had all things common among them; therefore there
were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made
free, and partakers of the heavenly gift....
|p14 "And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor
whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of
lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people
among all the people who had been created by the hand of God."
(4 Ne. 3, 16.)
|p15 It is now nearly four generations ago in this, the last
dispensation that the Lord again laid down his precepts for
modern Zion when he said:
|p16 "And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and
practise virtue and holiness before me.
|p17 "And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother
as himself.
|p18 "For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no
respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith
unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to
the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there--and
looketh upon his sons and saith I am just?
|p19 "Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is
even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye
are not mine." (D&C 38:24-27.)
|p20 President Joseph F. Smith foreshadowed the reestablishment
of welfare work in 1900 when he reminded us:
|P77|p1 "You must continue to bear in and that the temporal and
the spiritual are blended. They are not separate. One cannot be
carried on without the other, so long as we are here in
mortality.
|p2 "The Latter-day Saints believe not only in the gospel of
spiritual salvation, but also in the gospel of temporal
salvation. ... We do not feel that it is possible for men to be
really good and faithful Christian people unless they can also
be good, faithful, honest and industrious people. Therefore, we
preach the gospel of industry, the gospel of economy, the gospel
of sobriety." (Gospel Doctrine, Deseret Book, pp. 208-9.)
|p3 Thus you can see that when in 1936 the First Presidency
re-enunciated these precepts in the form of the present-day
welfare plan, they were merely extending to that generation a
more complete opportunity for establishing the ideal of Zion. In
this generation their words may have even deeper meaning.
|p4 "Our primary purpose," said the First Presidency, "was to
set up, in so far as it might be possible a system under which
the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a
dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and
self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The
aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves. Work
is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of
our Church membership." (Conference Report, October 1936, p. 3.)
|p5 There is no mistaking their intent; and while often seen as
temporal in nature, clearly we must understand that this work is
spiritual at heart! It is people-centered and God-inspired and,
as President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., put it, "The real long term
objective of the Welfare Plan is the building of character in
the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all
that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower
and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all
is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this Church."
(President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., special meeting of stake
presidencies, October 2, 1936.)
|p6 As we travel and visit the people throughout the world, we
recognize the great temporal needs of our people. And as we long
to help them, we realize the vital importance of their learning
this great lesson: that the highest achievement of spirituality
comes as we conquer the flesh. We build character as we
encourage people to care for their own needs.
|p7 As givers gain control of their desires and properly see
other needs in light of their own wants, then the powers of the
gospel are released in their lives. They learn that by living
the great law of consecration they insure not only temporal
salvation but also spiritual sanctification.
|p8 And as a recipient receives with thanksgiving, he rejoices
in knowing that in its purest form--in the true Zion--one may
partake of both temporal and spiritual salvation. Then they are
motivated to become self-sustaining and able to share with
others.
|p9 Isn't the plan beautiful? Don't you thrill to this part of
the gospel that causes Zion to put on her beautiful garments?
When viewed in this light, we can see that Welfare Services is
not a program, but the essence of the gospel. It is the gospel
in action.
|p10 It is the crowning principle of a Christian life.
|p11 So as to better visualize this process and firmly fix the
specific principles that undergird this work, may I rehearse to
you what I believe are its foundational truths.
|p12 First is love. The measure of our love for our fellowman
and, in a large sense, the measure of our love for the Lord, is
what we do for one another and for the poor and the distressed.
|p13 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
|p14 "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another." (John 13:34-35; see Moro. 7:44-48 and
Luke 10:25-37, 14:12-14.)
|p15 Second is service. To serve is to abase oneself to succor
those in need of succor, and to impart of one's "substance to
the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all
manner of afflictions, for Christ's sake." (Al. 4:13.)
|p16 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27.)
|p17 Third is work. Work brings happiness, self-esteem, and
prosperity. It is the means of all accomplishment; it is the
opposite of idleness. We are commanded to work. (See Gen. 3:19.)
Attempts to obtain our temporal, social, emotional, or spiritual
well-being by means of a dole violate the divine mandate that we
should work for what we receive. Work should be the ruling
principle in the lives of our Church membership. (See D&C 42:42;
75:29; 68:30-32; 56:17.)
|p18 Fourth is self-reliance. The Church and its members are
commanded by the Lord to be self-reliant and independent. (See
D&C 78:13-14.)
|p19 The responsibility for each person's social, emotional,
spiritual, physical, or economic well-being rests first upon
himself, second upon his family, and third upon the Church if he
is a faithful member thereof.
|p20 No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally
able will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his
family's well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under
the inspiration of the Lord and with his own |P78|p1 labors, he
will supply himself and his family with the spiritual and
temporal necessities of life. (See I Timothy 5:8.)
|p2 Fifth is consecration, which encompasses sacrifice.
Consecration is the giving of one's time, talents, and means to
care for those in need--whether spiritually or temporally--and
in building the Lord's kingdom. In Welfare Services, members
consecrate as they labor on production projects donate materials
to Deseret Industries, share their professional talents, give a
generous fast offering, and respond to ward and quorum service
projects. They consecrate their time in their home or visiting
teaching. We consecrate when we give of ourselves. (See ENSIGN,
June 1976, pp. 3-6.)
|p3 Sixth is stewardship. In the Church a stewardship is a
sacred spiritual or temporal trust for which there is
accountability. Because all things belong to the Lord, we are
stewards over our bodies, minds, families, and properties. (See
D&C 104:11-15.) A faithful steward is one who exercises
righteous dominion, cares for his own, and looks to the poor and
needy. (See D&C 104:15-18.)
|p4 These principles govern welfare services activities. May we
all learn, obey, and teach these principles. Leaders, teach them
to your members; fathers, teach them to your families. Only as
we apply these truths can we approach the ideal of Zion.
|p5 Zion is a name given by the Lord to his covenant people, who
are characterized by purity of heart and faithfulness in caring
for the poor, the needy, and the distressed. (See D&C 97:21.)
|p6 "And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of
one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there
was no poor among them." (Moses 7: 18.)
|p7 This highest order of priesthood society is founded on the
doctrines of love, service, work, self-reliance, and
stewardship, all of which are circumscribed by the covenant of
consecration.
|p8 May I turn now to some of the activities and programs that
represent ways to live these principles.
|p9 As you know, in the recent past we have placed considerable
emphasis on personal and family preparedness. I hope that each
member of the Church is responding appropriately to this
direction. I also hope that we are understanding and
accentuating the positive and not the negative.
|p10 I like the way the Relief Society teaches personal and
family preparedness as "provident living." This implies the
husbanding of our resources, the wise planning of financial
matters, full provision for personal health, and adequate
preparation for education and career development. giving
appropriate attention to home production and storage as well as
the development of emotional resiliency.
|p11 I hope that we understand that, while having a garden, for
instance, is often useful in reducing food costs and making
available delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, it does much
more than this. Who can gauge the value of that special chat
between daughter and Dad as they weed or water the garden? How
do we evaluate the good that comes from the obvious lessons of
planting, cultivating, and the eternal law of the harvest? And
how do we measure the family togetherness and cooperating that
must accompany successful canning? Yes, we are laying up
resources in store, but perhaps the greater good is contained in
the lessons of life we learn as we live providently and extend
to our children their pioneer heritage.
|p12 Think of the learning that accompanies a family council on
the family budget. How do Mom and Dad feel when a teenage son
who, because he is included and understands the budgeting
process, volunteers part of his summer's income to help replace
that tired refrigerator?
|p13 We speak of literacy and education in terms of being
prepared for a better occupation. but we cannot underestimate
the present pleasure of our reading in the scriptures, Church
magazines, and good books of every kind. We teach of emotional
strength in terms of family prayer, kind words, and full
communication, but we quickly learn how pleasant life can be
when it is lived in a courteous and reinforcing atmosphere.
|p14 In like manner we could refer to all the components of
personal and family preparedness, not in relation to holocaust
or disaster, but in cultivating a life-style that is on a
day-to-day basis its own reward.
|p15 Let's do these things because they are right, because they
are satisfying, and because we are obedient to the counsels of
the Lord. In this spirit we will be prepared for most
eventualities, and the Lord will prosper and comfort us. It is
true that difficult times will come--for the Lord has foretold
them--and, yes, stakes of Zion are "for a defense, and for a
refuge from the storm." (D&C 115:6.) But if we live wisely and
providently, we will be as safe as in the palm of His hand.
|p16 I hope that in our priesthood quorums and Relief Society
meetings the concepts of personal and family preparedness are
being properly taught and with the kind of positive approach
that we all respond to.
|p17 Let's also teach our obligations relative to the law of the
fast. Each member should contribute a generous fast offering for
the care of the poor and the needy. This offering should at
least be the value of the two meals not eaten while fasting.
|p18 "Sometimes we have been a bit penurious and figured that we
had for breakfast one egg and that cost so many cents and then
we give that to the Lord. I think that when we are affluent, as
many of us are, that we ought to be very, very generous. ...
|p19 "I think we should ... give, instead of the amount saved by
our two meals |P79|p1 of fasting, perhaps much, much more--ten
times more when we are in a position to do it." (Conference
Report, October 1974, p. 184.)
|p2 Fast offerings have long constituted the means from which
the needs of the Lord's poor have been provided. It has been,
and now is, the desire and objective of the Church to obtain
from fast offerings the necessary funds to meet the cash needs
of the welfare program; and to obtain from welfare production
projects the commodity needs. If we give a generous fast
offering, we shall increase our own prosperity both spiritually
and temporally.
|p3 How, turning from personal and family responsibilities to
the Church's formal welfare activities--sometimes referred to as
Church preparedness but perhaps better understood as the
Storehouse Resource System--let me emphasize briefly several
points.
|p4 1. Make adequate provision for those who receive Church
assistance to work or serve, according to their ability, for
what they receive.
|p5 2. Use good judgment in acquiring and managing your welfare
production project. Be businesslike and frugal, recognizing that
we are growing people--both givers and receivers--more than food
and merchandise.
|p6 3. Follow the Spirit in knowing to what extent individuals
and families can and should care for themselves on their own.
|p7 4. Use local resource persons to the fullest extent
possible.
|p8 5. Finally, regularly hold effective Welfare Committee
meetings at all administrative levels.
|p9 Brothers and sisters, with these thoughts in mind may I urge
you to go forward in this great work. So much depends upon our
willingness to make up our minds collectively and individually
that present levels and performance are not acceptable either to
ourselves or the Lord.
|p10 You leaders presently serving are as great as or greater
than those of this past generation. Learn your lessons well.
Emulate the Savior in your life by serving and consecrating by
overcoming temporally so that you might more fully achieve
spiritually.
|p11 If we all so labor, then it will eventually be written of
us that "surely there could not be a happier people among all
the people who had been created by the hand of God."
|p12 It is wonderful to be associated with this work and to be
given the inspiration of it. I bear my witness of it in the name
of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 2, 1977 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Jesus the Christ
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brothers and sisters, we come to the close of this
great conference. We have been much benefited and blessed. You
have heard thirty or more speakers bear testimony of the
divinity of Jesus Christ, and I should like to say it was He,
Jesus Christ, who came forth from the tomb a resurrected being,
and He who "though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by
the things which he suffered;
|p2 "And being made perfect he became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:8-9.)
|p3 It was this same Jesus Christ who gave revelations to his
prophets and revealed to them also through John the Revelator:
"I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last...
|p4 "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive
for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
(Rev. 1:11, 18.)
|p5 It was He, Jesus Christ, in his glorified state who came to
the ancestors of the Indians, who is variously known by them as
the Great White Spirit, the Fair God and numerous other names.
|p6 It was He, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who was introduced to
surprised listeners at Jordan (see Matt. 3:13-17), at the holy
Mount of Transfiguration (see Matt. 17:1-9), at the temple of
the Nephites (see 3 Ne. 11-26), and in the grove at Palmyra, New
York (see Joseph Smith 2:17-25); and the introducing person was
none other than his actual Father, the holy Elohim, in whose
image he was and whose will be carried out.
|p7 Many people have grown up with the idea that it was the
Father who was in charge through the Old Testament history days
whenever the title God or Lord was used.
|p8 It is noteworthy that the Father, God, Elohim came to the
earth upon each necessary occasion to introduce the Son to a new
dispensation, to a new people; then Jesus Christ, the Son,
carried forward his work.
|p9 This has happened again in our own dispensation when both
separate beings, the Father and the Son, came again to the earth
in person and appeared unto man. This holy occurrence was
described by the devout and prepared young man who was the
principal recipient of the vision.
|p10 There are many different approaches toward our Creator.
There are many who profess belief in a God but have little idea
what he is, or perhaps |P74|p1 they do not ever expect to see
their Creator. Perhaps they would not recognize him then he
comes, not knowing what to expect.
|p2 The mountain, the river, the volcano became gods to many.
But man in his searching has created himself a God without form
or power or substance.
|p3 Jesus Christ is the God of this world. He has made it very
plain in his many self-introductions.
|p4 The Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed to Abraham, "My name is
Jehovah." (Abr. 2:8.)
|p5 And Abraham declared, "Thus I, Abraham, talked with the
Lord, face to face, as one man talketh with another; and he told
me of the works which his hands had made." (Abr. 3:11.)
|p6 And Moses said concerning his Maker: "And he [Moses] saw God
face to face, ... and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore
Moses could endure his presence.
|p7 "And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God
Almighty, and Endless is my name. (Moses 1:2-3.)
|p8 In the first century in this land the people who had read
the scriptures and realized they were about to be fulfilled
gathered in a great multitude around and about the temple in the
land Bountiful. As they marveled and wondered, conversing about
this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning
his death, and "while they were thus conversing one with
another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven...
|p9 "It did pierce them to the very soul, add did cause their
hearts to burn.
|p10 "And behold, the third time they did understand the voice
which they heard; and it said unto them:
|p11 "Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased in whom I
have glorified my name." This is a new introduction, since the
one used at the time of the Jordan River introduction. Then he
said, "Hear ye him.
|p12 "And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their
eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man
descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe;
and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of
the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not
open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it
meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto
them.
|p13 "And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and
spake unto the people, saying:
|p14 "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified
shall come into the world.
|p15 "And behold I am the light and the life of the world; and I
have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given
me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of
the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father
in all things from the beginning." (3 Ne. 11:3, 6-11.)
|p16 After a long dissertation in which he explained to them the
doctrines of Christianity he said, "Behold, ye have both heard
my voice, and seen me." (3 Ne. 15:24.)
|p17 "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of
man am?
|p18 "And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
|p19 "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
|p20 "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.
|p21 "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,
Simon Barjona: |P75|p1 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it
unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
|p2 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock [the rock of revelation] I will build my church; and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
|p3 "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven. (Matt. 16:13-19.)
|p4 Here were the sacred binding keys of the kingdom of heaven
to bind in heaven that which was authoritatively bound in the
earth.
|p5 It was the solid, firm rock of revelation by which the
apostles knew that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God.
It is that revelation upon which God's church would be built and
the gates of hell could not prevail against it.
|p6 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
|p7 "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
|p8 "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the
Lamb of God!" (John 1:29, 34, 36.)
|p9 Then we have the testimony of Peter: "Yea, I think it meet,
as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting
you in remembrance;
|p10 "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle,
even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
|p11 "Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my
decease to have these things always in remembrance.
|p12 "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we
made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
|p13 "For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when
there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is
my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
|p14 "And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we
were with him in the holy mount." (2 Pet. 1:13-18.)
|p15 These are indeed great testimonies of our Savior, Jesus
Christ.
|p16 This has been a great conference and as each one of these
wonderful sermons has been rendered I've listened with great
attention, and I have made up my mind that I shall go home and
be a greater man than I have ever been before. I have listened
to all the instructions and the suggestions, and I am hoping
that every person who has heard them has done likewise. We have
heard many things, all in harmony with the teachings of Jesus
Christ. They have been beautifully given by men who are
dedicated to the service of the Lord. I urge you to take much
thought in your return home from this conference and think again
of the things that have been brought to your attention; and so
far as they approach your life in any way, see if you can use
them to bring you back--all of us--toward the perfection which
the Lord has asked of us.
|p17 Now brethren and sisters, it has been glorious to be with
you. May peace be with you. May you return home in safety and
find your families well. We bring to you this great conference
with our love and affection and our hope that it will have been
a great monument of success in your lives. And now I should like
to say once more: God lives; Jesus is the Christ. And all the
testimonies we have borne, and that the prayers have borne, and
the singers have borne, we communicate to you in the name of
Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 1, 1978 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The True Way of Life and Salvation
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 I come to you today, my brothers and sisters, in the spirit
of appreciation, not only for our opportunity to gather again in
a setting of religious freedom and in appreciation for the
devotion of the faithful Saints in the Church, but as one who
has urged you to "lengthen your stride" and who continues urging
you to do so. I want to thank you for your responses. Many have
done much to beautify their homes and their yards. Many others
have followed the counsel to have their own gardens wherever it
is possible so that we do not lose contact with the soil and so
that we can have the security of being able to provide at least
some of our food and necessities.
|p2 Grow all the food that you possibly can on your own
property, if water is available; berry bushes, grapevines, and
fruit trees are most desirable. Plant them if your climate is
right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat those grown in
your own yard. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums
can generally grow a little food in pots and planters.
|p3 As I have previously said, most members of the Church are
aware of our intense interest in the missionary work in the
Church and the appeals we have made in many lands for the
rededication to preaching the gospel and preparing missionaries
to carry the good news of the restoration to the people
everywhere. I feel the same sense of urgency about temple work
for the dead as I do about the missionary work for the living,
since they are basically one and the same. I have told my
brethren of the General Authorities that this work for the dead
is constantly on my mind.
|p4 The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve recently
gave careful consideration as to how we can lengthen our stride
in this tremendously important responsibility. We announce a
twofold emphasis.
|p5 First, all members should write a personal history and
participate in a family organization. Also, we want to emphasize
again and place squarely upon the shoulders of these individuals
and their families the obligation to complete the
four-generation program. Families may extend their pedigree I
beyond the four generations if desired.
|p6 Secondly, we are introducing a Church-wide program of
extracting names from genealogical records. Church members may
now render second-mile service through participating in this
regard in extracting these names in this program supervised by
the priesthood leaders at the local level, where you will
receive further details.
|p7 On the bookshelves in my office at home there are
thirty-three large, well-filled journal books. In my journal, a
year for each book, I have written daily and filed in this
library. It records the trips to many of the nations in the
world and all around the world and meetings held, people
contacted, marriages performed, and all things of interest to my
family, and, I hope, someday to the Church.
|p8 I urge all of the people of this church to give serious
attention to their family histories, to encourage their parents
and grandparents to write their journals, and let no family go
into eternity without having left their memoirs for their
children, their grandchildren, and their posterity. This is a
duty and a responsibility, and I urge every person to start the
children out writing a personal history and journal.
|p9 In the Readers Digest for April 1978 is an article which can
be detached from the magazine. The title of it is "Can You Have
a Happier Family Life?" It describes four qualities many parents
miss in their family lives, and it offers a way to measure your
family by these qualities and suggests a general plan for a
happier family life and reports a specific example of the plan
in action. This is the first in a series of four such articles
in the Digest this year. I commend it to all members and
non-members of the Church.
|p10 When a high national official visited us recently, he said,
|p11 "The family is so critical; it is so fundamental to the
strength of our civilization, a fact that seems to be forgotten.
It is so terribly important. It is our chief source of moral
strength, our chief source of physical and emotional health; it
is our chief source of protection against adversity. It is the
only institution that guarantees an environment which will
insure the perpetuation of the principles and concepts that have
made us strong.
|p12 "I remember a witness," he said, "that was testifying
before a Congressional committee about the family, and he said,
`Before you fool around with the family, you'd better realize
that all known human societies during the recorded history of
mankind have all ended up with a family organization for the
rearing and training of children. Before you try to get rid of
it, you'd better find out why all civilizations in history have
clung to it.' I think your church's emphasis on it has been
truly extraordinary."
|P5|p1 The gospel has been a family affair. By committing
ourselves to having the regular and inspirational family home
evening and by carefully planning the content of that evening,
we are sending a signal to our children which they will remember
forevermore. When thus we give our children of our own time, we
are giving of our presence, a gift that is always noticed.
|p2 The Home Evening Manual is replete with good suggestions,
but it should never replace inspired parental development with
regard to what should be done in a particular evening to meet
particular needs. If we will feed our families from the gospel
garden at home, then what they get from Church meetings can be a
rich supplement, but not their only diet.'
|p3 The home is the seedbed of Saints. There are not enough good
homes. Children still come to some homes where they will be
abused, not loved, and not taught the truth.
|p4 We are greatly concerned with the fact that the press
continues to report many cases of child abuse. We are much
concerned that there would be a single parent that would inflict
damages on a child. The Lord loved little children, and he said:
|p5 "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto
me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 19:14.)
|p6 Let no Latter-day Saint parent ever be guilty of the heinous
crime of abusing one of Christ's little ones!
|p7 The latest United States government statistics show that the
divorce epidemic is still in full swing and is even growing.
There were more than a million divorces or annulments in 1975.
the highest number thus far on record.
|p8 Last year there was almost one divorce for every two
marriages, and last year there were twice as many divorces as in
1966 and almost three times the number in 1950, and there were
probably more than a million children under eighteen involved in
these family breakups, for whom the emotional and other adverse
consequences of wrecked marriages may have been even more
serious than for the adults themselves.
|p9 There may be some who would disregard this and ignore the
important things, yet we feel that almost everyone who stops to
think of this and weigh it will conclude that when the home is
destroyed, the nation goes to pieces. There can be no question
about this, and all historians or those who have followed a
historical line of thought have come to that same conclusion.
|p10 We have the lingering, ominous suspicion that the
proponents of many programs pay little attention, if any, to the
sanctity of the home and the family.
|p11 The thing which greatly concerns us is the spiritual and
moral and emotional health of the family members from childhood
through youth and adulthood.
|p12 During 1974 over one million unborn children are said to
have lost their lives through induced abortions in the United
States. This is an explosive increase in the last few years. We
reaffirm our announced opposition to abortion in all but the
most extreme needs.
|p13 I want to express my appreciation for the wonderful women
of the Church. We love the women of our Church. We love them as
deeply as our own wives, our mothers, our grandmothers, our
sisters, and our friends. Someday, when the whole story of this
and previous dispensations is told, it will be filled with
courageous stories of our women, of their wisdom and their
devotion, their courage, for one senses that perhaps, just as
women were the first at the sepulchre of the Lord Jesus Christ
after his resurrection, our righteous women have so often been
instinctively sensitive to things of eternal consequence. We
recognize, as one man has wisely said, that while we speak of
the impact of one's mother's tongue with a lasting effect upon
us, it is our mother's love which touches us everlastingly and
so deeply.
|p14 We worry, therefore, conversely over these trends which
would reduce the mother's love in our world. God has placed
women at the very headwaters of |P6|p1 the human stream. So much
of what our men and our institutions seek to do downstream in
the lives of erring individuals is done to compensate for early
failures. Likewise, so much of life's later rejoicing is a
reflection of a woman's work well done at the headwaters of the
home.
|p2 It was Goethe who said, "The Eternal Feminine draws us on."
(Johann W. von Goethe, Faust.)
|p3 "A good woman," as the scriptures tell us, "is the glory of
the man." (I Cor. 11:7.)
|p4 The scriptures remind us that "Women have claim on their
husbands for their maintenance, until their husbands are taken."
(D&C 83:2.) Women also have a claim on their husbands for
respect, fidelity, and thoughtfulness for in that subtle, sweet
relationship that should obtain between men and women, there is
partnership with the priesthood.
|p5 We delight and marvel in the appropriate development and
expressions of our sisters' many talents. Surely the Church's
educational effort in behalf of its women is a sermon in itself.
|p6 Perhaps more than any other people of like size, we are
deeply committed to the development of the skills and talents of
our sisters, for we believe our educational program is not
simply education for this world, but involves an education for
all eternity.
|p7 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has
sponsored the advancement of women from its very outset. It was
the Prophet Joseph Smith who set forth the ideals for womanhood.
He advocated liberally for women in the purest sense of the
word, and he gave them liberty to fully express themselves as
mothers, as nurses to the sick, as proponents of high community
ideals, and as protectors of good morals.
|p8 What more can any woman want for herself? What more could
any man want for his wife? What more could any man want than to
match that standard in his own conduct?
|p9 The Prophet Joseph Smith gave us the Relief Society
organization to advance these high purposes for Latter-day Saint
women. That society today is a worldwide movement holding
membership in national and world organizations for the
advancement of women.
|p10 Finally, when we sing that doctrinal hymn and anthem of
affection, "O My Father," we get a sense of the ultimate in
maternal modesty, of the restrained, queenly elegance of our
Heavenly Mother, and knowing how profoundly our mortal mothers
have shaped us here, do we suppose her influence on us as
individuals to be less if we live so as to return there?
|p11 My beloved brothers and sisters, God lives, and I bear
testimony of it. Jesus Christ lives, and he is the author of the
true way of life and salvation.
|p12 This is the message of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. It is the most important message in the world
today. Jesus Christ is the son of God. He was chosen by the
Father as the Savior of this world. His coming was foretold
centuries before his birth upon this earth. It was seen in
vision by Adam, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Lehi, Nephi,
King Benjamin, Alma, Samuel, and many others, including Mary,
his eternal mother.
|p13 A modern prophet, the late Elder James E. Talmage of the
Council of the Twelve Apostles, declared who Jesus was and is:
|p14 "The solemn testimonies of millions dead and of millions
living unite in proclaiming Him as divine, the Son of the Living
God, the Redeemer and Savior of the human race, the Eternal
Judge of the souls of men, the Chosen and Anointed of the
Father--in short, the Christ.
|p15 "Jesus Christ was and is Jehovah, the god of Adam and of
Noah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel,
the God at whose instance the prophets of the ages have spoken,
the God of all nations, and He who shall yet reign on earth as
King of kings and Lord of lords." (Jesus the Christ, 12 ed.,
Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
1924, pp. 1-2, 4.)
|p16 What was the purpose of Christ's mission in life?
|p17 "God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:27.)
|p18 Man, created in the image of God, was placed on the earth
to experience mortal life, an intermediate state between
premortal life and immortality.
|p19 Our first parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God. By eating
the forbidden fruit, they became mortal. Consequently, they and
all of their descendants became subject to both mortal and
spiritual death (mortal death, the separation of body and
spirit; and spiritual death, the separation of the spirit from
the presence of God and death as pertaining to the things of the
spirit).
|p20 In order for Adam to regain his original state (to be in
the presence of God), an atonement for this disobedience was
necessary. In God's divine plan, provision was made for a
redeemer to break the bonds of death and, through the
resurrection, make possible the reunion of the spirits and
bodies of all persons who had dwelt on earth.
|p21 Jesus of Nazareth was the one who, before the world was
created, was chosen to come to earth to perform this service, to
conquer mortal death. This voluntary action would atone for the
fall of Adam and Eve and permit the spirit of man to recover his
body, thereby reuniting body and spirit.
|p22 Jesus Christ has influenced humanity more than anyone else
who ever lived. Born in a manger of an earthly mother and a
Heavenly Father, he lived on earth for thirty-three years. He
spent thirty of those years preparing for his life's mission and
his ministry. Then he traveled to the River Jordan to be
baptized by immersion by his cousin John, called the Baptist. By
participating in this symbolic ordinance, he demonstrated to all
that baptism is the door into this church. From heaven, his
Father acknowledged the important occasion, saying, "This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:17.)
|p23 For the next three years the Savior served mankind. He
healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, cast out evil
spirits, restored life to the dead, provided comfort to the
oppressed, spread the good news of the gospel of love, testified
of the Father, taught the eternal plan of salvation, and laid
the groundwork for an organization that would provide for the
salvation of man--his church. This church was not the church of
John the Baptist, nor was it the church of Peter, nor of Paul,
nor of any other man on the earth. It was Christ's own church;
he was its head.
|p24 That Christ established a church is well documented in the
New Testament. In Ephesians we are told that the Church of Jesus
Christ was "built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."
(Eph. 2:20.) The Savior, speaking to Peter, said, "And I will
give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
(Matt. 16:19.)
|p25 In his church Christ selected twelve apostles and a council
of seventy, and, having endowed them with authority he sent them
forth to preach that the Father has acknowledged his Son. To the
|P7|p1 multitudes of people gathered around the temple at the
approach of the Lord Jesus Christ, he was introduced again by
his Father, who said,
|p2 "Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I
have glorified my name--hear ye him." (3 Ne. 11:7.)
|p3 Toward the end of his earthly ministry he took his beloved
apostles Peter, James and John with him to the Mount of
Transfiguration. It is couched in words like this:
|p4 "And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his
brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
|p5 "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as
the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
|p6 "And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias
talking with him.
|p7 "Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good
for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three
tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses and one for Elias.
|p8 "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed
them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
|p9 "And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face,
and were sore afraid.
|p10 "And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be
not afraid.
|p11 "And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man,
save Jesus only." (Matt. 17:1-8.)
|p12 And in our own dispensation there came the blessed
experience of the Prophet Joseph Smith and we have his testimony
concerning it.
|p13 After an extended vision, the Prophet Joseph saw "two
Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description,
standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling
me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved
Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith 2:17.)
|p14 And this was another testimony of the actuality and the
life of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
|p15 And I bear witness again and again and again of the
divinity of that personage, Jesus Christ, who came to the
Prophet Joseph Smith and who came to the Nephites.
|p16 I bear testimony to this, the divinity of this cause, the
truth of this church, the divinity of its ordinances, the
importance of the celestial life in everyone's life, and I bear
this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
April 1, 1978 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Strengthening the Family--the Basic Unit of the
Church
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brethren, it's a joy to meet with you this
conference session. Before beginning, I should like to express
my personal appreciation to this great body of men who have sung
so melodiously to us this evening.
|p2 As we announced to the Regional Representatives yesterday,
we meet together often in the Church, in conferences to worship
the Lord, to feast upon the words of Christ, and to be built up
faith and testimony. We hold ward stake, area, and general
conferences, among others.
|p3 In recent years some of our most inspirational conferences
have been the area conferences held outside the United States.
We plan, beginning in 1979, to hold some area conferences in the
United States. Through these area conferences more members of
the Church will be able to meet and hear the General
Authorities. Two members of the Council of the Twelve and others
will attend each conference.
|p4 To ease the burdens of time, travel and money upon members
of the Church, we have also decided, beginning in 1979, to hold
only two stake conferences each year in each stake. One of these
will be attended by one or more General Authorities, and the
other by the Regional Representative. This will leave more time
for stake presidents and other local leaders to do more in
perfecting the Saints.
|p5 And now, my beloved brethren may I say something about the
great priesthood responsibility of fulfilling our role of
patriarch in the home. This role becomes more vital with each
passing day, as new challenges to the strength and sanctity of
the home arise.
|p6 The family is the basic unit of the kingdom of God on earth.
The Church can be no healthier than its families. No government
can long endure without strong families.
|p7 Never before have there been so many insidious influences
threatening the family as today, around the world. Many of these
evil influences come right into the home--through television,
radio, magazines, newspapers, and other forms of literature.
|p8 Brethren, as patriarchs in your homes, be worthy watchmen.
Be concerned about the types of programs your family is watching
on television or hearing on radio. There is so much today that
is unsavory and degrading, so much that gives the impression
that the old sins of sodom and Gomorrah are the "in thing to do
today.
|p9 There are magazines today publishing pictures and articles
which likewise beckon to the baser instincts of men and women
and young people. There are newspapers around the world" which,
seeking greater circulation boldly flaunt sex. Some of our
newspapers continue to publish illustrated advertisements which
are basely provocative, inviting their readers to pornographic
motion pictures. It is in such advertisements and motion
pictures where seeds are sown for rape, unfaithfulness, and the
most repulsive of deviant sexual transgressions,
|p10 Brethren, be vigilant on what enters your home through the
printed word as well as the electronic media. Guard against
radio and TV programs that degrade. See that only good reading
material enters your home. Subscribe to magazines which enrich
the mind and uplift the soul. There are many good magazines,
including our own Church periodicals, the ENSIGN, NEW ERA, and
FRIEND.
|p11 In some of the large cities of the world such as London,
Paris, Tokyo, New York, and Sao Paulo, there are a number of
daily newspapers from which to make a choice. Bring to your home
that newspaper which is most compatible with the teachings and
standards of the Church.
|p12 Here in Salt Lake City, the world headquarters of the
Church, we are also concerned. Certainly a powerful force in
helping this city and state achieve its high standards has been
the Deseret News. This newspaper has been a defender of our
convictions relative to such moral issues as liquor,
pornography, and abortion. It is vital to a safe clean city and
state, which are the heart of our growing, worldwide Church.
|p13 As the Deseret News, with the Church News, strengthens our
city and state, our newspaper can also strengthen the homes of
you brethren residing in this area of the world headquarters of
the Church.
|p14 Brethren, by being alert to what enters your home, you can
do much in helping your family seek that which is "virtuous,
lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy." (Article of Faith
13.)
|p15 I had a note one day from a little boy who said, "I know a
man who is such a wonderful man, and his name is The Bishop." We
always had a good bishop. We always loved him. There was Bishop
Zundel and Bishop Moody and Bishop Tyler and Bishop Wilkins. I
loved all my bishops. I hope all my young brethren love their
bishops as I did.
|p16 It is a real joy to meet with you priesthood members at
this important |P46|p1 time of the year, a time when we think of
our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his accomplishments and his
service and his example and his great program.
|p2 He gave to Moses this: "For behold, this is my work and my
glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of
man." (Moses 139.)
|p3 I take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the
leaders of the organizations and all who serve in this great
cause of priesthood activity, for their devotion and strength
and power and influence which is worldwide and affects the likes
of numerous people. I have been trying to think of the ways in
which my life has been influenced by the youth organizations. I
cannot remember when I began, but it seems to me like I can
remember going to the old Robinson HaIl in Thatcher, Arizona,
almost as early as I could walk. It was only two blocks from our
home, and we could walk to and from it, and we crossed the Union
Canal time and again. This big Robinson HaIl was a brick
building of rectangular shape, and an all-purpose building for
the community dances, for the Sunday School and Primary, for all
Church services, for the funerals, for celebrations, and for
everything that went on in our little rural town.
|p4 One night this great building caught fire, and I remember
the lighted' sky and the columns of smoke and the consternation
and excitement for all of us, for a big fire like this attracted
the entire town and all came hurrying with their buckets to help
put out the fire. We had no fire department, but all men and
their sons rushed across the town at the earliest call of
"fire."
|p5 He who gave the leadership sent all the men and boys to the
canal bank and lined them back to back toward the burning
building. Standing on the bank of the canal, the first man drew
a bucket full of water and handed the full bucket to another man
and he to another and back to the crackling flames in the
building. The last man doused the bucket of water on the flames.
Many buckets of water were thrown on the fire, but the fire was
gaining and finally the walls stood out as blackened sentinels,
and we returned to our homes saddened and defeated. It was many
years before the fire department was organized in our little
town.
|p6 This was the same canal in which I was later baptized into
the Church, and this is the same canal from which I hauled water
to the trees and plant life about our home. I was the smallest
of the boys, so I was given this work. We called the
transportation a "lizard." Did any of you ever see a "lizard"?
We made it with a Y-shaped tree limb. In the center we fastened
a barrel and hitched one horse to the "lizard." I drove it to
the canal, where I dipped up barrels full of canal water then
drove the horse one block to the home where I dipped out the
water for the plants and flowers.
|p7 My father made a great effort to surround the new home with
every kind of flower and save them in those late summer days
when water was so scarce. It was also my job to drive the horses
and cows to the canal for their drinking water.
|p8 Sometimes the late summer rains would wash out the dams and
leave all the valley dry and the canals all dry. Then the older
boys, my brothers, answered the call to rush up to the
headwaters of the canal with their teams and scrapers and wagons
to haul rocks and brush and gravel to fill up the dam again to
divert the water from the river to the farms and homes.
|p9 Years later we learned to make the sausage dams. The sausage
dam was a long wire mesh filled with rocks to fill the water
holes of the river and divert the river water back into the
canal.
|p10 Nearly all the boys and girls were baptized in that famous
old Union Canal.
|p11 The Allred Hall, a frame structure on Main Street two
blocks north of Robinson HaIl, was used for many purposes, and I
clan remember going there to Sunday School and Primary as a
little boy and to sacrament meeting, for it was there that I was
confirmed as a member of the Church.
|p12 We moved again to the old Allred Hall and then to the
Academy Building, which was our educational institution and
headquarters for the Polysophical Society meetings as well as
all community and Church meetings, for Thatcher was populated
almost entirely by members of the Church.
|p13 Then in 1902 we broke ground for a new stake and ward
building in Thatcher, and I gave two dollars from my nickels and
dimes for the building. I remember they dug a great excavation
and then there was a long delay before enough more funds could
be gathered to construct the building. This was on the way to
the post office and the stores where I was often sent to get
coal oil for the lamps and for mail and to take the eggs and
other things that my abilities made possible. I would always run
down into the bottom of this great excavation hole and then up
the other side; but when the weeds began to grow big in this
enclosed area and I once saw some skunks there, I bypassed the
excavation, for I had no interest in skunks as pets or as
companions.
|p14 When the new stake building--which still stands and is
being used for stake and ward purposes--was completed, |P47|p1
it had just two large, rectangular areas, one for the
meetinghouse on the top floor and one for recreation, the latter
being the basement. I remember we had wires strung across the
building and cloth curtains between the classes. We could hear
something of nearly every class that was going on and even
sometimes see, if the lights were just right. I remember some
years later when we of the basketball team of the Gila Academy
did our practicing here and played our games, and I always took
more than my share of the credit for the fact that in this
smaller building with some obstructions, we defeated some high
school and college teams while we were but a high school team.
|p2 I remember some of the teachers. We always went to
priesthood meeting on Monday nights, and we deacons would
congregate around the potbellied stove and there receive our
instructions. I remember some excellent teachers in Orville
Allen and LeRoi C. Snow and others in that place, and also
formed some excellent friendships among other young men of my
age. LeRoi C. Snow of Salt Lake City was there in the bank and
he intrigued us as we became deacons with his many stories of
the Red Sea, and the crossing of the Red Sea by the children of
Israel, and Jerusalem where he had been.
|p3 I remember going to Sunday School, and I believe that I
received a great deal of inspiration for the foundation of my
life in this place. We had opening exercises in the chapel above
and then went downstairs to our classwork.
|p4 I remember some of the teachers who came so devotedly and
consistently to give us "the word," and they taught me many
things which are basic to my acquaintance with the Church
programs and the doctrines.
|p5 My mother had a good voice and played the organ, and she and
my oldest sister, Clare, sang duets. I inherited a little of the
love for music from her, so I was always interested in the
singing of the songs, and I generally raised my voice and sang
lustily. I remember the song, "We Meet Again in Sabbath School."
(Hymns, no. 193.) And we did meet again and again and again, all
my life. And I remember when my mother died up in Salt Lake City
when I was eleven, there had been a goal set for us to attend
Sunday School every Sunday of the year. She died in October. I
had never missed a Sunday School since the first of January, I
had been present every week, and I had a difficult time to
square myself with myself to miss the Sunday that her body lay
in state in our home.
|p6 I really didn't understand then how hard these teachers
labored to teach us and how grateful I am for the great army of
teachers in all the organizations of the Church who are so
devoted and untiring to teach the children of Zion.
|p7 And then, if sometimes we had forgotten the verses, we could
all join lustily in singing the chorus of the songs:
|p8 Join in the jubilee; mingle in song;
Join in the joy of the Sabbath School
throng.
(Hymns, no. 177.)
|p9 The song "Love at Home" (Hymns, no. 169) we sang in our home
evenings, which the Kimball family always held in the early days
of this century.
|p10 I remember the song "In Our Lovely Deseret," which Sister
Eliza R. Snow wrote. She composed many of our songs. I can
remember how lustily we sang:
|p11 Hark! Hark! Hark! `tis children's
music,
Children's voices, O, how sweet,
When in innocence and love
Like the angels up above,
They with happy hearts and cheerful
faces meet.
(Sing With Me, no. B-24.)
|p12 I am not sure how much innocence and love we had, but I
remember we sang it, even straining our little voices to reach
the high E which was pretty high for children's voices. I
remember we sang:
|p13 That the children may live long,
And be beautiful and strong.
|p14 I wanted to live a long time and I wanted to be beautiful
and strong but never reached it.
|p15 Tea and coffee and tobacco they despise.
|p16 And I learned to despise them. There were people in our
rural community who were members of the Church who sometimes
used tea and coffee and sometimes tobacco. The song goes on:
|p17 Drink no liquor, and they eat
But a very little meat
|p18 [I still don't eat very much meat.]
|p19 They are seeking to be great and good
and wise.
|p20 And then we'd "Hark! Hark! Hark" again, "When in innocence
and love Like the angels up above." And then the third verse
went:
|p21 They should be instructed young,
How to watch and guard the tongue,
And their tempers train, and evil passions
bind,
They should always be polite,
And treat ev'rybody right
And in ev'ry place be affable and kind.
|p22 And then we'd "Hark! Hark! Hark" again.
|p23 They must not forget to pray,
Night and morning ev'ry day,
For the Lord to keep them safe from ev'ry
ill
And assist them to do right,
That with all their mind and might
They may love him and may learn to do
his will.
|p24 And then we'd sing, "Hark! Hark! Hark" again. I was never
quite sure whether the angels were limited in their voice
culture as we were, but we were glad to take the credit.
|p25 One of the songs that has disappeared was number 163,
"Don't Kill the Little Birds," and I remember many times singing
with a loud voice:
|p26 Don't kill the little birds,
That sing on bush and tree,
All thro' the summer days,
Their sweetest melody.
Don't shoot the little birds! The earth is God's
estate,
And he provideth food
For small as well as great.
(Deseret Songs, 1909, no. 163.)
|p27 I had a sling and I had a flipper. I made them myself, and
they worked very well. It was my duty to walk the cows to the
pasture a mile away from home. There were large cottonwood trees
lining the road, and I remember that it was quite a temptation
to shoot the little birds "that sing on bush and tree," because
I was a pretty good shot and I could hit a post at fifty yards'
distance or I could hit the trunk of a tree. But I think perhaps
because I sang nearly every Sunday, "Don't Kill the Little
Birds," I was restrained. The second verse goes:
|p28 Don't kill the little birds
Their plumage wings the air,
Their trill at early morn
Makes music ev'ry-where.
What tho' the cherries fall
Half eaten from the stem?
|P48|p1
And berries disappear,
In garden, field, and glen?
|p2 This made a real impression on me, so I could see no great
fun in having a beautiful little bird fall at my feet.
|p3 And then there was the song that Evan Stephens wrote, "The
Mormon Boy," and how proud I was when we were to sing in the
congregation:
|p4 A `Mormon' Boy, a `Mormon' Boy
I am a 'Mormon' Boy.
I might be envied by a king,
For I am a `Mormon' Boy.
|p5 I liked this song; I have always gloried in those words: "I
might be envied by a king, For I am a `Mormon' Boy."
|p6 I liked the song "What Shall the Harvest Be?" because it
gave us a chance to sing in parts.
|p7 My beloved brethren, as I close I bear testimony to you that
I hold the priesthood. You hold the priesthood. This is the
priesthood that Elijah held, and the prophets Peter, James, and
John also. They and their associates held the priesthood. But
without the sealing power we could do nothing, for there would
be no validity to that which we do. That's the thing that
counts. That is why Elijah came. That is why Moses came, for he
conferred upon the head of Peter, James, and John in that
dispensation these privileges and these powers, these keys, that
they might go forth and perform this labor. That is why they
came to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the Lord said, "I will
send you Elijah the prophet before... the great and dreadful day
of the Lord." (Mal. 45.)
|p8 Why should he send Elijah? Because he held the keys of the
authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood,
and without the authority that is given, the ordinances could
not be administered in righteousness.
|p9 Salvation could not come to this world without the mediation
of Jesus Christ. How shall God come to the rescue of the
generations? He will send Elijah the prophet. The law revealed
to Moses in Horeb never was revealed to the children of Israel
as a nation. Elijah shall reveal the covenants to seal the
hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the
fathers. The anointing and sealing is to be called, elected and
the election made sure.
|p10 "I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ lives,"
said John Taylor, my predecessor, "for I have seen him." I bear
this testimony to you brethren in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
April 1, 1978 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
WELFARE SESSION
April 1, 1978
Becoming the Pure in Heart
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My dear brothers and sisters, what a beautiful sight you
are! The radiance of your faces and the beauties of nature on
this Temple Square make my heart swell with thanksgiving for the
blessings of the Lord. As we meet together in conference, I hope
the spirit of gratitude permeates all we do and say, for truly
the Lord delights to bless those who love and serve him. (See
D&C 76:5.)
|p2 With the help of the Lord, I should like to remind us of
several truths and obligations that should never be forgotten by
us as leaders and as a people. Following these reminders, I
should like to talk about the building of Zion through sacrifice
and consecration.
|p3 First, may I remind bishops of the vital need to provide
recipients of welfare assistance with the opportunity for work
or service that thereby they may maintain their dignity and
independence and continue to enjoy the Holy Spirit as they
benefit from Church Welfare Services self-help efforts. We
cannot be too often reminded that Church welfare assistance is
spiritual at heart and that these spiritual roots would wither
if we ever permitted anything like the philosophy of the dole to
enter into our Welfare Services ministrations. Everyone assisted
can do something. Let us follow the order of the Church in this
regard and insure that all who receive give of themselves in
return.
|p4 May we be on guard against accepting worldly substitutes for
the plan to care for his poor in this, the Lord's own way. As we
hear talk of governmental welfare reforms and its myriads of
problems, let us remember the covenants we have made to bear one
another's burdens and to succor each according to his need.
President Romney, our dean of Welfare Services, gave good
counsel when several years ago he made this statement:
|p5 "In this modern world plagued with counterfeits for the
Lord's plan, we must not be misled into supposing that we can
discharge our obligations to the poor and the needy by shifting
the responsibility to some governmental or other public agency.
Only by voluntarily giving out of an abundant love for our
neighbors can we develop that charity characterized by Mormon as
`the pure love of Christ.' (Moro. 7:47.) This we must develop if
we would obtain eternal life." (Conference Report, Oct. 1972, p.
115.)
|p6 No "ism" should confuse our thinking in these matters. As a
reminder of Church policy regarding individuals receiving
government or other forms of charity, may I emphasize the
following declaration of principle:
|p7 "The responsibility for each member's spiritual, social,
emotional, physical, or economic well-being rests first upon
himself, second, upon his family, and third, upon the Church.
Members of the Church are commanded by the Lord to be
self-reliant and independent to the extent of their ability.
(See D&C 78: 13-14.)
|p8 "No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally
able, will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his
family's well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under
the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will
work to the extent of his ability to supply himself and his
family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life. (See
Gen. 3:19, 1 Tim. 5:8, and Philip. 2:12.)
|p9 "As guided by the Spirit of the Lord and through applying
these principles, each member of the Church should make his own
decisions as to what assistance he accepts, be it from
governmental or other sources. In this way, independence,
self-respect, dignity, and self-reliance will be fostered and
free agency maintained." (Statement of the Presiding Bishopric,
as quoted in ENSIGN, March 1978, p. 20.)
|p10 Underlying this statement is the recurring theme of
self-reliance. No amount of philosophizing, excuses, or
rationalizing will ever change the fundamental need for
self-reliance. This is so because:
|p11 "All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has
placed it, ... as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no
existence." (D&C 93:30.) The Lord declares that herein lies "the
agency of man" (see D&C 93:31), and with this agency comes the
responsibility for self. With this agency we can rise to glory
or fall to condemnation. May we individually and collectively be
ever self-reliant. This is our heritage and our obligation.
|p12 The principle of self-reliance stands behind the Church's
emphasis on personal and family preparedness. Our progress in
implementing the various facets of this personal and family
preparedness is impressive, but there are still far too many
families who have yet to heed the counsel to live providently.
With the arrival of spring we hope all of you will put in your
gardens and prepare to enjoy their produce this summer. We hope
you are making this a family affair, with everyone, even the
little ones, assigned to something. There is so much to learn
and harvest from your garden, far more than just a crop itself.
We also hope that you are |P80|p1 maintaining your year's supply
of food, clothing, and where possible, some fuel and cash
savings. Moreover, we hope that you are conscious of proper diet
and health habits, that you may be fit physically and able to
respond to the many challenges of life. Would you see to it that
in your quorum and Relief Society meetings the principles and
practices of personal and family preparedness are taught.
|p2 We wish to remind all the Saints of the blessings that come
from observing the regular fast and contributing as generous a
fast offering as we can, and as we are in a position to give.
Wherever we can, we should give many times the value of the
meals from which we abstained.
|p3 This principle of promise, when lived in the spirit thereof,
greatly blesses both giver and receiver. Upon practicing the law
of the fast, one finds a personal well-spring of power to
overcome self-indulgence and selfishness. May I refer you to
Bishop Victor L. Brown's masterful talk on this subject given
last welfare conference and published in the November 1977
ENSIGN.
|p4 Now, brothers and sisters, would you put aside for a moment
the pressing demands of this day and this week, and permit me to
establish some very important perspectives about welfare
services. For many years we have been taught that one important
end result of our labors, hopes, and aspirations in this work is
the building of a Latter-day Zion, a Zion characterized by love,
harmony, and peace--a Zion in which the Lord's children are as
one.
|p5 The vision of what we are about and what should come of our
labors must be kept uppermost in our minds as we learn and do
our duty in the present implementation of welfare service. This
applies equally to all Church activities. In the fifty-eighth
section of the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord shares with us a
glimpse of this Latter-day Zion:
|p6 "Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present
time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall
come hereafter; and the glory which shall follow after much
tribulation.
|p7 "For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore
the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the
hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand. ...
|p8 "Behold, verily I say unto you, for this cause I have sent
you--that you might be obedient, and that your hearts might be
prepared to bear testimony of the things which are to come;
|p9 "And also that you might be honored in laying the
foundation, and in bearing record of the land upon which the
Zion of God shall stand;
|p10 "And after that cometh the day of my power; then shall the
poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the
marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord,
prepared for the great day to come.
|p11 "Behold, I, the Lord, have spoken it." (D&C 58:3-12.)
|p12 This day will come; it is our destiny to help bring it
about! Doesn't it motivate you to lengthen your stride and
quicken your pace as you do your part iIi the great sanctifying
work of the kingdom? It does me. It causes me to rejoice over
the many opportunities for service and sacrifice afforded me and
my family as we seek to do our part in establishing Zion.
|p13 In the earliest years of this dispensation the people
faltered in attempting to live the full economic plan of Zion,
the united order. Because of their transgressions, the Lord
chastened them in these words:
|p14 "Behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things
which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of
evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints,
to the poor and afflicted among them;
|p15 And are not united according to the union required by the
law of the celestial kingdom;
|p16 "And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles
of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive
her unto myself." (D&C 105:3-5.)
|p17 The Lord further counsels that we must learn obedience and
be developed in character before he can redeem Zion. (See D&C
105:9-10.)
|p18 A few verses later in this same revelation, the Lord
repeats the law of Zion in these words and with this promise:
|p19 "And let those commandments which I have given concerning
Zion and her law be executed and fulfilled, after her
redemption..
|p20 "And inasmuch as they follow the counsel which they
receive, they shall have power after many days to accomplish all
things pertaining to Zion." (D&C 105:34, 37.)
|p21 The length of time required "to accomplish all things
pertaining to Zion" is strictly up to us and how we live, for
creating Zion "commences in the heart |P81|p1 of each person."
(Journal of Discourses, 9:283.) That it would take some time to
learn our lessons was seen by the prophets. In 1863 Brigham
Young stated:
|p2 "If the people neglect their duty, turn away from the holy
commandments which God has given us, seek their own individual
wealth, and neglect the interests of the kingdom of God, we may
expect to be here quite a time perhaps a period that will be far
longer than we anticipate." (Journal of Discourses, 11:102.)
|p3 Unfortunately we live in a world that largely rejects the
values of Zion. Babylon has not and never will comprehend Zion.
The Lord revealed our times to the prophet Mormon, who recorded
this statement in a closing chapter of the Book of Mormon:
|p4 "Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye
are not. But Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know
your doing.
|p5 "For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your
fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye
love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted." (Morm.
8:35, 37.)
|p6 This state of affairs stands in marked contrast to the Zion
the Lord seeks to establish through his covenant people. Zion
can be built up only among those who are the pure in heart, not
a people torn by covetousness or greed, but a pure and selfless
people. Not a people who are pure in appearance, rather a people
who are pure in heart. Zion is to be in the world and not of the
world, not dulled by a sense of carnal security, nor paralyzed
by materialism. No, Zion is not things of the lower, but of the
higher order, things that exalt the mind and sanctify the heart.
|p7 Zion is "every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and
doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God." (D&C
82: 19.) As I understand these matters, Zion can be established
only by those who are pure in heart, and who labor for Zion, for
"the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for
money they shall perish." (2 Ne. 26:31.)
|p8 As important as it is to have this vision in mind, defining
and describing Zion will not bring it about. That can only be
done through consistent and concerted daily effort by every
single member of the Church. No matter what the cost in toil or
sacrifice, we must "do it." That is one of my favorite phrases:
"Do It." May I suggest three fundamental things we must do if we
are to "bring again Zion," three things for which we who labor
for Zion must commit ourselves.
|p9 First, we must eliminate the individual tendency to
selfishness that snares the soul, shrinks the heart, and darkens
the mind. President Romney recently referred to the tragic cycle
of civilization, a cycle propelled by anyone who seeks for power
and gain. Was it not this that led Cain to commit the first
murder "for the sake of getting gain"? (Moses 5:50.) Is not this
the spirit of the anti-Christ in which "every man prospered
according to his genius, and... every man conquered according to
his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime"? (Al. 30:
17.) Did not Nephi single this out as the spirit which led his
generation to destruction:
|p10 "Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was
this--Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people
to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with
pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and
riches, and the vain things of the world." (3 Ne. 6: 15.)
|p11 If we are to avoid their fate, we must guard against the
very things that caused their downfall. The Lord himself
declared to our grandparents: "And again, I command thee that
thou shalt not covet thine property." (D&C 19:26.)
|p12 He further counseled his young church by saying:
|p13 "Behold, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with many who are
in the church at Kirtland:
|p14 "For they do not forsake their sins and their wicked ways,
the pride of their hearts, and their covetousness, and all their
detestable things, and observe the words of wisdom and eternal
life which I have given unto them." (D&C 98: 19-20.) It is
incumbent upon us to put away selfishness in our families, our
business and professional pursuits, and our Church affairs. I am
disturbed when I hear of stakes or wards having difficulty
dividing equity in welfare projects or making equitable
storehouse commodity production assignments. These things should
not be. Let us resolve today to overcome any such tendencies.
|p15 Second, we must cooperate completely and work in harmony
one with the other. There must be unanimity in our decisions and
unity in our actions. After pleading with the Saints to "let
every man esteem his brother as himself" (D&C 38:24), the Lord
concludes his instructions on cooperation to a conference of the
membership in these powerful words:
|p16 "Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is
even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye
are not mine." (D&C 38:27.)
|p17 If the Spirit of the Lord is to magnify our labors, then
this spirit of oneness and cooperation must be the prevailing
spirit in all that we do. Moreover, when we do so, we are told
by the Prophet Joseph Smith that "the greatest temporal and
spiritual blessings which always come from faithfulness and
concentrated effort, never attended individual exertion or
enterprise." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 183.)
There are few activities in the Church that require more
cooperation and concerted effort than Welfare Services. Whether
it is rallying to find employment for a displaced quorum member,
toiling on a production project, serving as a lead worker at a
Deseret Industries, or accepting foster children in the home, it
is cooperation and mutual concern that determines the overall
success of the Storehouse Resource System.
|p18 Third, we must lay on the altar and sacrifice whatever is
required by the Lord. We begin by offering a "broken heart and a
contrite spirit." We follow this by giving our best effort in
our assigned fields of labor and callings. We learn our duty and
execute it fully. Finally we consecrate our time, talents and
means as called upon by our file leaders and as prompted by the
whisperings of the Spirit. In the Church, as in the welfare
system also, we can give expression to every ability, every
righteous desire, every thoughtful impulse. Whether a volunteer,
father, home teacher, bishop, or neighbor, whether a visiting
teacher, mother, homemaker, or friend there is ample opportunity
to give our all. And as we give, we find that "sacrifice brings
forth the blessings of heaven!" (Hymns, no. 147.) And in the
end, we learn it was no sacrifice at all.
|p19 My brothers and sisters, if we can do this, then we will
find ourselves clothed in the mantle of charity "which is the
greatest of all, for all things must fail--
|p20 "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth
forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it
shall be well with him." (Moro. 7:46-47.)
|p21 Let us unite and pray with all the energy of heart, that we
may be sealed by this bond of charity; that we may build up this
latter-day Zion, that the kingdom of God may go forth, so that
the kingdom of heaven may come. This is my prayer and testimony
in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 2, 1978 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Listen to the Prophets
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, wasn't it a happy moment
when we were permitted to be here today to hear that beautiful
testimony of Brother LeGrand Richards? and the four new members
of the First Quorum of the Seventy who poured out their hearts
in those moments they had? and to hear all the other brethren
who have given of their rich lives?
|p2 I should like first to pay special tribute to the divinely
inspired Primary organization of the Church. It is just a
hundred years ago that Bishop Hess, with the approval of the
First Presidency, called Aurelia Spencer Rogers to organize the
first Primary in Farmington, Utah. From that humble beginning
has grown a worldwide organization that has touched the lives of
millions of people. I am confident there is not one member
within the sound of my voice who has not had his or her life
influenced for good by the teachings of the devoted officers and
teachers of the primary organization. This past month I have
received hundreds and hundreds of birthday cards. Many of them
have been handmade by the primary children of the Church. It is
the humble primary leaders who through their teaching and
personal example instill in the hearts and minds of these
wonderful little children, in their sensitive and formative
years, love for the Savior, the Church, and for its leaders.
|p3 Primary helps little boys and girls prepare for their
future great responsibilities as mothers and fathers and
citizens of Zion. All that is taught in primary is virtuous,
lovely, and of good report, and praiseworthy May the Lord
continue to bless and prosper the Primary organization of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, together with all
the other organizations who are doing comparable work.
|p4 I remember coming to this tabernacle as a boy from Arizona,
with my father, to attend general conference. I was thrilled to
hear all the Brethren speak. I have heard president Joseph F.
Smith and all who have followed him up to now. I was thrilled at
their utterances and took their warnings seriously, even as a
young man. These men are among the prophets of God, just as were
the prophets of the Book of Mormon and of the Bible. I do not
remember ever feeling that these men pulled any punches or that
their counsel went unheeded.
|p5 Various excuses have been used over the centuries to dismiss
these divine messengers. There has been denial because the
prophet came from an obscure |P77|p1 place. "Can there any good
thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46.) Jesus was also met
with the question, "Is not this the carpenter's son?" (Matt.
13:55.) By one means or another, the swiftest method of
rejection of the holy prophets has been to find a pretext,
however false or absurd, to dismiss the man so that his message
could also be dismissed. Prophets who were not glib, but slow of
speech, were esteemed as naught. Instead of responding to Paul's
message, some saw his bodily presence as weak and regarded his
speech as contemptible. Perhaps they judged Paul by the timbre
of his voice or by his style of speech, not the truths uttered
by him.
|p2 We wonder how often hearers first rejected the prophets
because they despised them, and finally despised the prophets
even more because they had rejected them. Even so, why else is
the record of rejection so complete? The cares of the world are
so many and so entangling, even very good people are diverted
from following the truth because they care too much for the
things of the world, such as the young man who had kept all the
commandments from his youth up. He could not do the one last
thing that Jesus asked: "Sell all that thou hast, and distribute
unto the poor." (Luke 18:22.) We read that he went away
sorrowful for he had great possessions.
|p3 Sometimes people let their hearts get so set upon things and
the honors of this world that they cannot learn the lessons they
most need to learn. Simple truths are often rejected in favor of
the much less demanding philosophies of men, and this is another
cause for the rejection of the prophets.
|p4 But while there are various excuses for rejection, there's
a certain cause for this sad record. It must not be passed over.
The cares of the world, the honors of the world, and looking
beyond the mark are all determined by a persuasive few who
presume to speak for all. Paul had difficulty because there were
no leaders of thought among the Jews. Jesus was seen as a
stumbling block, and among the Greeks, Christianity was seen as
foolishness.
|p5 The holy prophets have not only refused to follow erroneous
human trends, but have pointed out these errors. No wonder the
response to the prophets has not always been one of
indifference. So often the prophets have been rejected because
they first rejected the wrong ways of their own society.
|p6 These excuses for rejection of the prophets are poor
excuses. The trouble with using obscurity as a test of validity
is that God has so often chosen to bring forth his work out of
obscurity. He has even said it would be so. (See D&C 1:30.)
Christianity did not go from Rome to Galilee; it was the other
way around. In our day the routing is from Palmyra to Paris, not
the reverse. Just because something is in our midst does not
mean that we have been in the midst of it. We can daily drive by
a museum or an art gallery but know nothing of what is inside.
|p7 The trouble with rejection because of personal familiarity
with the prophets is that the prophets are always somebody's son
or somebody's neighbor. They are chosen from among the people,
not transported from another planet, dramatic as that would be!
|p8 David was the youngest son of eight. His eldest brother was
peeved at the presumptuousness of David for even being at the
front where Goliath taunted the armies of Israel. Those who were
so busy being indignant with David missed the purity in David's
indignation at Goliath, for the giant was defying the armies of
the living God. (See 1 Sam. 17:28-32.)
|p9 David was a local boy and wars ignored--until he could no
longer be ignored. The trouble with rejecting the prophets
because they lack prestige is that Paul, who knew something of
rejection, forewarned us when he said speaking of the work of
God, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise
men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are
called." (1 Cor. 1:26.)
|p10 In multiple scriptures the Lord has indicated that he will
perform his work through those whom the world regards as weak
and despised. Of course, rejection of the holy prophets comes
because the hearts of people are hardened, as people are shaped
by their society. Yet even when the hardening is swift, it can
also be subtle. Who, for instance, a scant twenty years ago
would have foreseen the massive use of abortion in society
today. Like all the diseased doctrines of the devil, the
practice is pleasing unto the carnal mind.
|p11 Prophets have a way of jarring the carnal mind. Too often
the holy prophets are wrongly perceived as harsh and as anxious
to make a record in order to say, "I told you so." Those
prophets I have known are the most loving of men. It is because
of their love and integrity that they cannot modify the Lord's
message merely to make people feel comfortable. They are too
kind to be so cruel. I am so grateful that prophets do not crave
popularity.
|p12 If we need a reminder of harsh realities and the dangers of
duty which prophets face, Jonah gives us a glimpse in relation
to his call to the exceeding great city of Ninevah, which took
three days just to walk through, its size was so intimidating.
(See Jon. 3:3.) One cannot read about the prophet Ether, warning
the city by day and hiding by night in a cave, without marveling
at his capacity to go each day once again into that hostile
city. (See Eth. 13.) We read of Enoch who was called when but a
lad. He describes himself as a lad whom the people despised and
who was slow of speech; yet he did his duty in love and
compassion with stunning success. (See Moses 6.) I marvel at the
empathy of these men in all ages, because even prophets have no
immunity from thorns in the flesh. They learn to cast all their
cares upon the Lord.
|p13 The testimonies of the holy prophets of God have been
written in the scriptures but also have often been written in
red because these individuals are the Lord's prophets. They help
us to see the end from the beginning. The prophets have always
been free from the evil of their times, free to be divine
auditors who will still call fraud, fraud; embezzlement,
embezzlement; and adultery, adultery.
|p14 Now as we conclude this general conference, let us all give
heed to what was said to us. Let us assume the counsel given
applies to us, to me. Let us harken to those we sustain as
prophets and seers, as well as the other brethren as if our
eternal life depended upon it, because it does!
|p15 Now may I make a few further comments to let you know some
of my concerns for us as a people who live in such, challenging
times. May I stress again the value of reading the addresses
given at our general conferences in the ENSIGN magazine.
|p16 Please follow the counsel you have been given in the past
and maintain your personal journals. Those who keep a book of
remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in
their daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings
and of leaving an inventory of these blessings for our
posterity.
|p17 The spring of the year reminds us, too, of the need to
garden so that we can produce some of our own food as well as
flowers to beautify our yards and our neighborhoods. Even if the
tomato you eat is a $2.00 tomato, it will bring satisfaction
anyway and remind us all of the law of the harvest, which is
relentless in life. We do reap what we sow. |P78|p1 Even if the
plot of soil you cultivate, plant, and harvest is a small one,
it brings human nature closer to nature as was the case in the
beginning with our first parents.
|p2 How can one see the slackening of traditional moral
standards and not notice the decline in decency? As a boy I saw
how all, young and old, worked and worked hard. We knew that we
were taming the Arizona desert. But had I been wiser then, I
would have realized that we were taming ourselves, too. Honest
toil in subduing sagebrush, taming deserts, channeling rivers,
helps to take the wildness out of man's environment but also out
of him. The disdain for work among some today may merely signal
the return of harshness and wildness--perhaps not to our
landscape but to some people. The dignity and self-esteem that
honest work produces are essential to happiness. It is so easy
for leisure to turn into laziness.
|p3 How can one witness so many of those who ought to be good
examples becoming bad examples and not cry out? Those who seem
to flout the institution of marriage, and who regard chastity
before marriage with fidelity after as old-fashioned, seem
determined to establish a new fashion on their own and impose it
upon others. Can they not see the gross selfishness that will
lead finally to deep loneliness? Can they not see that, pushed
by pleasure, they will become more and more distant from joy?
Can they not see that their kind of fulfillment will produce a
hollowness and an emptiness from which no fleeting pleasure can
finally rescue them? The law of the harvest has not been
repealed.
|p4 Once the carnal in man is no longer checked by the
restraints of family life and by real religion, there comes an
avalanche of appetites which gathers momentum that is truly
frightening. As one jars loose and begins to roll down hill,
still another breaks loose, whether it is an increase in
homosexuality, corruption, drugs, or abortion. Each began as an
appetite that needed to be checked but which went unchecked.
Thus misery achieves a ghastly monument.
|p5 Decadence is very demanding and dogmatic, and it is no
friend of liberty. Decadence which grew in the soil of tolerance
and permissiveness soon seeks to drive out all of these. Then,
finally, it reaches a point when, as one prophet declared,
"There was no remedy." In such moments the prophets of God speak
out even more forcibly, doing as Alma did when be began bearing
down in pure testimony against the evils of his time. (See Al.
4:19.) Nothing less will do under those conditions.
|p6 We read of sections of this land where abortions outnumber
live births, of how illegitimate births outnumber legitimate,
and we wonder how long the judgments of God can be stayed. We
read of those who have yielded to the fashion of the time and
lived together without being legally married and wonder why such
people do not realize that there can be no finding of their
identity nor any real sense of belonging while they trample
underfoot the commandments of God. We read of the increased
portion of our children who are being reared by a single parent
and wonder again about what will come when the law of the
harvest operates. What is wrong is wrong, and trends do not make
something right which is at variance with the laws of God.
|p7 We note the increasing coarseness of language and understand
how Lot must have felt when he was, according to Peter, "vexed
with the filthy conversation of the wicked." (2 Pet. 2:7.) We
wonder why those of coarse and profane conversation, even if
they refuse obedience to God's will, are so stunted mentally
that they let their capacity to communicate grow more and more
narrow. Language is like music; we rejoice in beauty, range, and
quality in both, and we are demeaned by the repetition of a few
sour notes.
|p8 Far from freeing those involved, sin is an admission of
surrender to the herd. It is a capitulation to the carnal in man
and a rejection of joy and beauty in this life and in the world
to come. Because sin is such sadness, the righteous do not
stress an attitude of "I told you so"--because the righteous, in
their love, truly wish they had been more effective in
communication and in testifying so that there could be less
misery and more happiness in the world. No wonder we who bear
the plan of salvation feel a special urgency in sharing the
gospel, because we love our own neighbor. May God help us in the
opportunities which are ours to live righteously as a way of
witnessing to the world, to speak out humbly but forthrightly,
to lead out effectively and thoughtfully, ever using the gospel
of Jesus Christ as our constant guide.
|p9 Before closing I should like to just add the four
testimonies of these young, new leaders of the Church were very,
very inspiring. When I heard each one of them say, "I have put
everything I own or ever have owned upon the altar; it's there
for the Lord or his servants to identify and to call upon," that
pleased me because we know there is still faith in the Church,
in Zion, among the youth, and among the young people who are
growing up in this church. I would not wish to talk longer but
just say, the Lord bless you, my brethren and sisters, as you
return to your homes. Peace be with you. May you find every home
to which you return a real Latter-day Saint home with all the
gospel in it. I bear testimony to the divinity also of this
great work which is the greatest thing in the world, as was said
by one of the Brethren. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
September 30, 1978 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
"Hold Fast to the Iron Rod"
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 The Church has been greatly saddened by the passing of Elder
Delbert L. Stapley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He died
on August 19, 1978. Elder Stapley served faithfully and ably in
the Twelve for twenty-eight years. His presence will be missed
greatly, and we repeat our love and condolence extended to his
family at the time of his passing. We present for the vote of
the conference, as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
to replace Elder Stapley, Elder James Esdras Faust. All of you
who are in favor of this proposition please make it manifest by
the show of the right hand.
|p2 We also present for the vote of the conference Elders Fred
Burton Howard, Teddy Eugene Brewerton, Jack H. Goaslind, Jr., to
serve as members of the First Quorum of the Seventy, and Elder
William Grant Bangerter to serve as a president of the First
Quorum of the Seventy in place of Brother Faust. Will those who
can sustain these Brethren in the positions indicated, please
signify it by raising your right hands? Any contrary by the same
sign.
|p3 We ask these Brethren to take their places on the stand in
the seats provided.
|p4 How glorious it is, brothers and sisters, to welcome you to
this world conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and to envision the great throngs gathered
here in Salt Lake City and elsewhere, making this in very deed
an international gathering of the faithful Saints.
|p5 I rejoice with you in the progress and expansion of the
Lord's earthly kingdom in almost all parts of the free world. We
are constantly opening up new areas, and we are continually
establishing new missions and dividing others to give more
effective leadership to the ever-increasing numbers of our young
men and women engaged in full-time missionary service. Since our
last conference six months ago, we have added ten new missions,
for a total of 166 throughout the world. We now have 26,606
missionaries carrying the gospel to almost every nation,
kindred, tongue and people under the direction of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles, whose divine calling it is "to officiate in
the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of
the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven; to build up
the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all
nations" (D&C 107:33).
|p6 Before the end of the year, we will have over 1,000 stakes.
This seems incredible when I recall that there were but 145
stakes in the whole world when I became an Apostle in 1943.
|p7 This growth is cause for thanksgiving and praise to the Lord
for divine direction of this program of saving souls and
bringing them into the fold of Christ. While much has been done
and accomplished, much more remains to be done. We must go
forward in courage and great boldness to proclaim Jesus Christ
as the resurrected Lord and the Redeemer of mankind.
|p8 We have asked everyone wherever possible to assist with a
home garden for the production of food so you may enjoy the
efforts of your labors and help provide for your needs. We urge
parents not only to engage in this activity, but to let their
boys and girls share in helping with the garden. They will not
only learn the value and joy of work, but it will help them
develop a sense of responsibility as they participate in such
family projects.
|p9 We should make not only our fields and dooryards attractive,
but our homes, barns, outbuildings, and fences should be kept in
good repair and painted. We realize, too, that such projects are
never ending and need continuing attention and planning.
|p10 We renew our appeal for the keeping of individual journals
and records and compiling family histories. Any Latter-day Saint
family that has searched genealogical and historical records has
fervently wished their ancestors had kept better and more
complete records. On the other hand, some families possess some
spiritual treasures because ancestors have recorded the events
surrounding their conversion to the gospel and other happenings
of interest, including many miraculous blessings and spiritual
experiences. People often use the excuse that their lives are
uneventful and nobody would be interested in what they have
done. But I promise you that if you will keep your journals and
records they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to
your families, to your children, your grandchildren, and others,
on through the generations.
|p11 Family home evenings are a most appropriate time and place
to engage in such activities and especially to train young
children in the art of writing about their lives. If you haven't
already done so, make up your minds that today you will start
your journals.
|p12 There is an urgency to engage more fully in the redeeming
of our kindred dead through more frequent temple attendance. All
those who possess temple recommends should use them as often as
possible to engage in baptisms, endowments, |P5|p1 and sealings
for the dead. Other members of the Church should concern
themselves seriously with preparations to qualify for temple
recommends that they, too might enjoy these eternal blessings
and also act as saviors on Mount Zion. There is an
everincreasing burden of temple work to be done by the Saints,
and we should rise to meet this challenge.
|p2 I again would urge upon all Saints everywhere a more strict
observance of the Sabbath day. The Lord's holy day is fast
losing its sacred significance throughout the world, at least
our world. More and more, man destroys the Sabbath's sacred
purposes in pursuit of wealth, pleasure, recreation, and the
worship of false and material gods. We continue to urge all
Saints and Godfearing people everywhere to observe the Sabbath
day and keep it holy. Businesses will not be open on the Sabbath
if they are not patronized on that holy day. The same is true of
resorts, sporting events, and recreation areas of all kinds.
Pursuit of the almighty dollar is winning, it seems, over the
Lord's commandment, "Keep my sabbaths, and reverence my
sanctuary" (Lev. 19:30).
|p3 "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I
say?" (Luke 6:46; emphasis added).
|p4 Violating the purpose of the Sabbath is not the only matter
in these days which calls forth our cry of protest. We are
greatly concerned about the world in which we live. The mass
media of communications daily presents us with so much that is
evil, that is ugly and sordid, and so much that is destructive
of righteousness. Godlessness seems to reign everywhere. Satan
is unfettered apparently. We have previously said that the
growing permissiveness in modern society gravely concerns us.
|p5 We see about us constant change. Even the pace of life
itself has speeded up. Sometimes it seems that the world is
undergoing such throes of change that people are disoriented,
not knowing what is of value. Right and wrong, however, are as
they always were. The principles of the gospel are unaltered.
All of men's evil speaking and all of men's evil acting cannot
alter one jot or tittle of the commandments of God.
|p6 The forces of good are clearly and continually under attack.
There are times when it seems the world is almost drowning in a
flood of filth and degradation. And I want to cry out, "Hold on!
Hold on to what is right and true. Therein is safety. Don't let
yourself be swept away."
|p7 In 1946 I visited Hawaii shortly after a huge tidal wave,
where walls of water some forty feet high struck Hilo and the
Hamakua coast, and I saw the devastation that resulted. Homes
had been overturned and shredded, crushed into splinters like
toothpicks; fences and gardens were obliterated; bridges and
roads were washed away. Bathtubs, refrigerators, mangled autos
lay strewn all about the streets. Where one of our little
chapels had stood, nothing remained but the foundation. More
than a hundred people lost their lives; as many more were
injured; thousands were left homeless. I heard many stories
|P6|p1 while there of suffering, of heroism, of salvation.
|p2 One woman told how she received a telephone message from
friends to get out and to leave--that a tidal wave was coming.
She looked out to sea and saw the monstrous wave approaching
like a mountain. She and her husband picked up the baby and ran
for their lives up the hill. However, two of their little girls
were away from home playing near a clump of lauhala trees. They
saw the wave coming, ran into the trees, and held tightly with
their arms around the tree trunks. The first gigantic wave
washed entirely over them, but they held their breath and clung
with all their might until the water receded and their heads
were again above the water. When the wave receded, they quickly
ran up the hill before the succeeding waves came. Together, the
family watched from the safety of the hill as their home below
disappeared under the pounding of the waves.
|p3 We, too, are faced with powerful destructive forces
unleashed by the adversary. Waves of sin, wickedness,
immorality, degradation tyranny deceitfulness conspiracy and
dishonesty threaten all of us. They come with great power and
speed and will destroy us if we are not watchful.
|p4 But a warning is sounded for us. It behooves us to be alert
and to listen and flee from the evil for our eternal lives.
Without help we cannot stand against it. We must flee to high
ground or cling fast to that which can keep us from being swept
away. That to which we must cling for safety is the gospel of
Jesus Christ. It is our protection from whatever force the evil
one can muster. An inspired Book of Mormon prophet it is upon
the rock of our Redeemer, counseled his people: "Remember that
it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of
God, that ye must build your foundation that when the devil
shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the
whirlwind yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat
upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to
the gulf of misery and endless wo" (Hel. 5:12).
|p5 I would emphasize that the teachings of Christ that we
should become perfect were not mere rhetoric. He meant literally
that it is the right of mankind to become like the Father and
like the Son, having overcome human weaknesses and developed
attributes of divinity.
|p6 Because many individuals do not fully use the capacity that
is in them does nothing to negate the truth that they have the
power to become Christlike. It is the man and woman who use the
power who prove its existence; neglect cannot prove its absence.
|p7 Working toward perfection is not a one-time decision but a
process to be pursued throughout one's lifetime.
|p8 Through Moses the word of the Lord came down from the
mountain. The commandments which the Lord gave to the children
of Israel set minimum standards of conduct. These commandments,
said Paul, are "our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that
we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24).
|p9 But living by the letter of the Ten Commandments is only the
beginning of perfection. Jesus taught the sanctity of the Ten
Commandments but emphasized repeatedly that there was more.
|p10 It is not enough to acknowledge the Lord as supreme and
refrain from worshiping idols; we should love the Lord with all
our heart, might, ind, and strength, realizing the great joy he
has in the righteousness of his children.
|p11 It is not enough to refrain from profanity or blasphemy. We
need to make important in our lives the name of the Lord. While
we do not use the Lord's name lightly, we should not leave our
friends or our neighbors or our children in any doubt as to
where we stand. Let there be no doubt about our being followers
of Jesus Christ.
|p12 It is not enough to refrain from moviegoing, hunting,
fishing, sports, and unnecessary labor on the Sabbath.
Constructive use of the Sabbath day includes studying the
scriptures, attending church meetings to learn and to worship,
writing letters to absent loved ones, comforting the sorrowing,
visiting the sick, and, in general, doing what the Lord would
have us do on this, his holy day.
|p13 If we truly honor our parents as we are commanded to do, we
will seek to emulate their best characteristics and to fulfill
their highest aspirations for us. Nothing we could give them
materially would be more prized than our righteous living.
|p14 It is not enough to refrain from killing. We are rather
under solemn obligation to respect life and to foster it. Far
from taking a life, we must be generous in helping others to
enjoy the necessities of life. And when this has been
accomplished, we seek to improve the mind and the spirit.
|p15 We refrain from taking harmful substances into our body.
Through wisdom and moderation in all things, we seek good health
and a sense of physical well-being.
|p16 It is not enough to refrain from adultery. We need to make
the marriage relationship sacred, to sacrifice and work to
maintain the warmth and respect which we enjoyed during
courtship. God intended marriage to be eternal, sealed by the
power of the priesthood, to last beyond the grave. Daily acts of
courtesy and kindness, conscientiously and lovingly carried out,
are part of what the Lord expects.
|p17 It is for us to keep our hearts and minds pure, as well as
our actions.
|p18 "Thou shalt not steal," the Lord said on Sinai (Exod.
20:15). Thus it is for us to be honest in every way. We must be
generous, the very opposite of selfishness. When money is
needed, we give money. But often what is needed more is love and
time and caring, which money cannot buy. When that is true, even
being generous with our money is not enough.
|p19 Bearing false witness and coveting the belongings of others
are further evidences of selfishness. "Love thy neighbour as
thyself," Jesus taught. On this and on the love of God "hang all
the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:39-40).
|p20 Kindness, helpfulness, love, concern, generosity--we could
go on for the list of virtues is endless. The development of
these traits is what the Lord asks of us.
|p21 "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report
or praiseworthy, we seek after these things" (Articles of Faith
13).
|p22 The gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Any earnest seeker can
know for himself that it is true by studying and living its
principles and seeking the companionship and help of the Holy
Ghost. But how much easier it is to understand and accept if the
seeker after the truth can also see the principles of the gospel
at work in the lives of others. No greater service can be given
to the missionary calling of the Church than to exemplify
positive Christian virtues in our lives.
|p23 The Lord holds forth a glorious promise to those who love
him and demonstrate this love by faithful, devoted service and
the living of his eternal principles. When the winds of change
blow fiercely and the waves sweep over us, we have a tree or rod
of principle to which we can cling for safety. It is the gospel
of Jesus Christ which has been restored to the earth in its
fulness.
|p24 May the Lord bless us, each one, to hold fast to the iron
rod, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
September 30, 1978 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Fundamental Principles to Ponder and Live
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 It is a great joy to greet the priesthood of the Church this
glorious night. All over the world we gather to worship the Lord
and give him praise.
|p2 My brothers in the priesthood, it was a great thrill
recently to have tens of thousands of the sisters of the Church
assemble in hundreds of places around the world in a special
meeting for the women of the Church. You will have had your own
reports from your wives and sisters, mothers, and daughters
about the meeting. We feel gratified that we were able to hold
the meeting and that technology made it possible. We love the
women of the Church! We have great respect for them.
|p3 In following up on that event, I want to counsel you as
sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. As you serve with the
women of the Church, follow what Paul said when he urged Timothy
to "intreat the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters,
with all purity" (1 Tim. 5:1-2). We men of the priesthood ought
to so do. We must be different than other men, and I am sure
most priesthood holders are. Paul's suggestion that we treat
older women as if they were our mothers and younger women as if
they were our sisters and to do so with "all purity" is
excellent instruction. Men of the world may disregard women or
see them only as objects of desire or as someone to be used for
selfish purposes. Let us, however, be different in our conduct
and in our relationships with women.
|p4 Peter urged us to give honor unto our wives. (See I Pet.
3:7.) It seems to me we should be even more courteous to our
wives and mothers, our sisters and our daughters, than we are to
others. When Paul said that a man who did not provide for his
own and those of his own household was "worse than an infidel"
(I Tim. 5:8), I like to think of providing for our own as
including providing them with affectional security as well as
economic security. When the Lord told us in this dispensation
that "women have claim on their husbands for their maintenance"
(D&C 83:2), I like to think of maintenance as including our
obligation to maintain loving affection and to provide
consideration and thoughtfulness as well as food.
|p5 President Lee once observed that the "needy" around us may
need friendship and fellowship as well as food. I sometimes
think our own Latter-day Saint women are "needy" just because
some of us are not as thoughtful and considerate of them as we
should be. Our pantries can be filled with food and yet our
sisters can be starved for affection and recognition.
|p6 Let us, brethren, support the sisters |P44|p1 of our
household in their Church callings as they so wonderfully
support us. Let us not neglect them simply because they
sometimes go on being good even when they are neglected.
|p2 Let our homes be filled with praise and commendation for all
those of our household. Let us also, brethren, not get so
concerned with our priesthood peers, those men we are associated
with in our church assignments, that we neglect our eternal
companions, for our association with our wives will be forever.
|p3 Our Father in Heaven was gracious enough to give to us for
our pleasure and convenience all life on earth. Let me read to
you from his personal statement:
|p4 "And God said Let the waters bring forth abundantly the
moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the
earth in the open firmament of heaven.
|p5 "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing
seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree,
in the which is the fruit ofa tree yielding seed: to you it
shall be for meat.
|p6 "And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the
air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein
there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it
was so.
|p7 "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it
was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth
day." (Gen. 1:20, 29-31.)
|p8 I read at the priesthood meeting at the last conference the
words to the verse of the song years ago, "Don't Kill the Little
Birds," with which I was familiar when I was a child growing up
in Arizona. I found many young boys around my age who, with
their flippers and their slings, destroyed many birds.
|p9 In Primary and Sunday School we sang the song:
|p10 Don't kill the little birds
That sing on bush and tree,
All thro' the summer days,
Their sweetest melody.
(Deseret Song, 1909, no. 163.)
|p11 As I was talking to the young men at that time all over the
world, I felt that I should say something more along this line.
|p12 I suppose in every country in the world there are beautiful
little birds with their beautiful plumage and their attractive
songs.
|p13 I remember that my predecessor, President Joseph Fielding
Smith, was a protector of these feathered and other wild life
creatures.
|p14 While President Smith at one time was in the Wasatch
Mountain Area, he befriended the creatures from the hill and
forest. He composed four little verses as follows, and opposite
each he drew a little picture. Of the mountain squirrel first,
he wrote:
|p15 This is little Chopper Squirrel
Up in the mountains high.
He begs us for some grains of corn.
With thanks he says goodbye.
|p16 And then the hat was next:
|p17 This is little Tommy Bat
Who flies around at night.
He eats the bugs and `skeeters' too,
Which is a thing quite right.
|p18 Then he came to the deer:
|p19 This is little Bambi Deer
Who comes to the cabin homes.
She ticks the salt we feed to her,
And on the mountain roams.
|p20 And then the birds:
|p21 This, our little feathered friend
Who sings for us all day.
When comes the winter and the cold,
He wisely flies away."
|p22 Now, I also would like to add some of my feelings
concerning the unnecessary shedding of blood and destruction of
life. I think that every soul should be impressed by the
sentiments that have been expressed here by the prophets.
|P45|p1 And not less with reference to the killing of innocent
birds is the wildlife of our country that live upon the vermin
that are indeed enemies to the farmer and to mankind. It is not
only wicked to destroy them, it is a shame, in my opinion. I
think that this principle should extend not only to the bird
life but to the life of all animals. For that purpose I read the
scripture where the Lord gave us all the animals. Seemingly, he
thought it was important that all these animals be on the earth
for our use and encouragement.
|p2 President Joseph F. Smith said, "When I visited, a few years
ago, the Yellowstone National Park, and saw in the streams and
the beautiful lakes, birds swimming quite fearless of man,
allowing passers-by to approach them as closely almost as tame
birds, and apprehending no fear of them, and when I saw droves
of beautiful deer [feeding] along the side of the road, as
fearless of the presence of men as any domestic animal, it
filled my heart with a degree of peace and joy that seemed to be
almost a foretaste of that period hoped for when there shall be
none to hurt and none to molest in all the land, especially
among all the inhabitants of Zion. These same birds, if they
were to visit other regions, inhabited by man, would, on account
of their tameness, doubtless become more easily a prey to the
gunner. The same may be said of those beautiful creatures--the
deer and the antelope. If they should wander out of the park,
beyond the protection that is established there for these
animals, they would become, of course, an easy prey to those who
were seeking their lives. I never could see why a man should be
imbued with a blood-thirsty desire to kill and destroy animal
life. I have known men--and they still exist among us--who enjoy
what is, to them, the `sport' of hunting birds and slaying them
by the hundreds, and who will come in after a day's sport,
boasting of how many harmless birds they have had the skill to
slaughter, and day after day, during the season when it is
lawful for men to hunt and kill (the birds having had a season
of protection and not apprehending danger) go out by scores or
hundreds, and you may hear their guns early in the morning on
the day of the opening, as if great armies had met in battle;
and the terrible work of slaughtering the innocent birds goes
on.
|p3 "I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds
unless he needs them for food, and then he should not kill
innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man. I
think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill
almost everything which possesses animal life. It is wrong, and
I have been surprised at prominent men whom I have seen whose
very souls seemed to be athirst for the shedding of animal
blood." (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book,
1939, pp. 265-66.)
|p4 One of the poets stated in this connection:
|p5 Take not away the life you cannot give,
For all things have an equal right to live.
|p6 --and I might add there also, because God gave it to them,
and they were to be used only, as I understand, for food and to
supply the needs of men.
|p7 It is quite a different matter when a pioneer crossing the
plains would kill a buffalo to bring food to his children and
his family. There were also those vicious men who would kill
buffalo only for their tongues and skins, permitting the life to
be sacrificed and the food also to be wasted.
|p8 When asked how he governed so many people, the Prophet
Joseph Smith said, "I teach them correct principles, and they
govern themselves."
|p9 We look to the Prophet Joseph Smith for proper teaching. He
said once: "We crossed the Embarras river and encamped on a
small branch of the same about one mile west. In pitching my
tent we found three massasaugas or prairie rattlesnakes, which
the brethren were about to kill, but I said, `Let them
alone--don't hurt them! How will the serpent ever lose his
venom, while the servants of God possess the same disposition
and continue to make war upon it? Men must become harmless,
before the brute creation; and when men lose their vicious
dispositions and cease to destroy the animal race, the lion and
the lamb can dwell together, and the sucking child can play with
the serpent in safety.' The brethren took the serpents carefully
on sticks and carried them across the creek. I exhorted the
brethren not to kill a serpent, bird, or an animal of any kind
during our journey unless it became necessary in order to
preserve ourselves from hunger." (History of the Church,
2:71-72.)
|p10 Now, my brethren young and old, there is another matter I
wish to mention. I wish to read for you a verse for your serious
thought. The verse is called "Keeping Clean" and is in somewhat
the same area as the other Brethren have talked about.
|p11 When you tell a filthy story,
Do you ever stop to think
What impression you have made upon
the crowd?
Do you think the boys enjoy it?
Do you think because they laugh
That you have sufficient reason to be
proud?
|p12 Do you know that you exhibit
All that is within your soul,
When the filthy story passes from your
tongue?
It reveals your own defilement,
It proclaims your ignorance,
It disgusts all decent boys who love real
fun.
|p13 Do you think that you exhibit any real
common sense,
When you show the crowd how rotten is
your mind?
Do you know that you dishonor
Both your parents and your friends?
Think it over, boys, and that is what
you'll find.
|p14 Be a little choice in language;
Be a little more refined,
If respect of those around you you would
win, You will have a great advantage over
those who are inclined
To go through life in filth, and slime and
sin.
|p15 Brethren, let us think about these things. Ponder them in
your heart. Live worthily, keep the commandments, honor your
priesthood and the Lord will love and bless you; and as his
servant, I leave my love and blessing with you.
|p16 I want to mention one other matter before closing, and that
is, we've been talking about the great missionary program which
Brother LeGrand Richards mentioned in the first of the meeting.
We now have some 26,606 missionaries. Every week the number is
increasing.
|p17 There are many nations where we have not been able to get
in, to get visas, or get passports; and it is very important. If
we are to fulfill the responsibility given to us by the Lord on
the Mount of Olives to go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature, then we will need to open the doors to
these nations. I mentioned this the other day to the brethren in
the Regional Representatives meeting. We've hardly scratched the
surface. We need far more missionaries, and we need more
countries that will think of us as being their friends and will
give us an opportunity to come into their nations and give to
their people the finest thing in the |P46|p0 world--the gospel
of Christ--which can be their salvation and their great
happiness.
|p1 I'm hoping that every man and boy listening to me this night
will make it a solemn practice in regular life to pray
constantly for this great blessing to bless the brethren who are
making a special effort to reach the leaders of these nations
and to convince them that we have only good for their people. We
will make them good citizens, we will make them good souls, and
we will make them happy and joyous.
|p2 I hope that every family will hold home evening every Monday
night without fail. Missionary work will be one of the strong
points that will be brought before it; and the father and the
mother and the children in their turns will offer prayers which
will be centered around this very important element--that the
doors of the nations might be opened to us and then, secondly,
that the missionaries, the young men and women of the Church,
may be anxious to fill those missions and bring people into the
Church.
|p3 In China we have nine-hundred million people. Yesterday
about fifty Chinese Saints came in to see me. I took them
through the Church offices and told them about our programs, and
then I said to them, "We have been talking about China today."
(That was the day of the Regional Representatives meeting.)
"We've learned of that people's good qualities and that the
Spirit of the Lord seems to be brooding over them, to bring the
possibility of the gospel to them." I asked all of those Chinese
people who were here at conference, Will you guarantee that in
all your home evenings and in all your family prayers and in all
your public prayers you will mention this to the Lord? Now I
know he can do it without our help; but I think he would want to
know that we were interested in it and that we would appreciate
it greatly."
|p4 So I'm hoping that, beginning now, the prayers of the Saints
will be greatly increased from what they have been in the past,
that we will never think of praying except we pray for the Lord
to establish his program and make it possible that we can carry
the gospel to his people as he has commanded. It is my deep
interest and great prayer to you that this will be accomplished.
|p5 And now in closing, I wish to express appreciation for all
that has been said by these beloved brethren who have spoken. I
bear my testimony to the truth of the gospel and to the
greatness of it, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
September 30, 1978 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Fruit of Our Welfare Services Labors
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brethren and sisters, I greet you at this harvest
time with the earnest hope that we follow the counsel of the
Lord to have our house in order regarding welfare services.
|p2 By house, I mean both our individual households and the
wards, branches, stakes, and missions which we preside over.
|p3 I have some concern that we may not fully be following
through on our commitments and obligations to do as the Lord has
instructed and warned us.
|p4 Our houses can be in order by planned, consistent, and
timely application of basic welfare principles and programs.
|p5 Welfare services is the full program the Lord has provided
us--provident living, personal and family preparedness, home and
visiting teaching, producing and distributing goods to the poor,
rehabilitating members with especially difficult needs or
handicaps, securing jobs for the unemployed, restoring
emotionally disturbed souls to full activity in the Church and
society, with all of us consecrating our lives to the building
up of the kingdom of God on earth.
|p6 We have been attempting to get our welfare services house in
order for forty-two years. We have come a long way, but there
remains much to be done. In many parts of the Church, stakes and
wards are just getting underway in implementing their welfare
services. To them we say: Do things in order and the Lord will
prosper you. In other parts of the Church, welfare services is
flourishing. But regardless of whether, in your particular
stake, you are just beginning or have fully implemented the
system, I feel it timely to talk about the fruit of our welfare
labors.
|p7 May I suggest that the "fruit of our welfare labors" may
best be understood on three separate, yet related, levels. First
is that of the individual; second is that of the family; and
third is that of the Church as a whole.
|p8 Individual Fruits
|p9 The fruits experienced by the individual include dignity,
self-respect, strengthened testimony, selflessness, and
increased personal spirituality. Explaining the intended
outcomes of the welfare plan, President J. Reuben Clark had this
to say to a special meeting of stake presidents held here in the
Tabernacle on 2 October 1936:
|p10 "Thus it is seen that from the beginning the real long term
objective of the welfare plan is the building of character in
the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all
that is finest down deep in the inside of them, and bringing to
flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which
after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of
this Church."
|p11 The primary fruit of welfare service is achieved in the
lives of individuals. Only when achieved individually can it
have its intended influence on family units and the whole body
of the Church. Just as each individual's testimony adds to the
strength of the Church, so also does the individual labor of
each member comprise the power of unified welfare services.
|p12 You may ask, "How do I secure these blessings and what
seeds must I sow in order to reap the fruits thereof?" I believe
they are found in personal, daily application of the six
foundational principles of welfare services: love, service,
work, self-reliance, consecration, and stewardship. The entire
welfare activity structure, and for that matter the full program
of the Church, provides ample opportunity for application of
these principles.
|p13 We have said that welfare services is the gospel in action.
This implies that we achieve the fruits of welfare service not
just by knowing these six principles and related gospel
doctrine, but by doing, working, and putting into practice what
we have been taught.
|p14 Often, however," some seek the fruits without the planting.
In faith, we plant the seed, and soon we see the miracle of the
blossoming. Men have often misunderstood and have reversed the
process. They would have the harvest before the planting.
|p15 I believe we find a great lesson in this regard in the
parable of the vineyard found in the fifth chapter of Jacob in
the Book of Mormon. After laboring long and hard to bring forth
"much fruit" from his olive trees, but with little success, the
lord of the vineyards is discouraged and asks:
|p16 "But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I
slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have
nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it,
and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand
almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it
grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard,
and cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is
it that has corrupted my vineyard?
|p17 "And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master:
Is it not the loftiness of thy vineyard--have not the branches
thereof overcome the roots which are good? And because the
|P75|p1 branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they
grew faster than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto
themselves. Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees
of thy vineyard have become corrupted?" (Jacob 5:47-48; italics
added.)
|p2 It seems that some among us have this same problem; they
want bountiful harvests--both spiritual and temporal--without
developing the root system that will yield them. There are far
too few who are willing to pay the price, in discipline and
work, to cultivate hardy roots. Such cultivation should begin in
our youth. Little did I know as a boy that daily chores in the
garden, feeding the cattle, carrying the water, chopping the
wood, mending fences, and all the labor of a small farm was an
important part of sending down roots, before being called on to
send out branches. I'm so grateful that my parents understood
the relationship between roots and branches. Let us each
cultivate deep roots, so that we may secure the desired fruits
of our welfare labors.
|p3 Family Fruits
|p4 At the family level, the fruits of our welfare work are
many. They include peace, love, harmony, solidarity, and
contentment.
|p5 A true Latter-day Saint family is a haven against the storms
and struggles of life.
|p6 Inspired men have long taught that the home is the cradle of
civilization and the foundation of society. But the Lord,
through his prophets, teaches us much more than this, for we
know that it is exalted families that will make up the divine
patriarchal order which will be the source of kingdoms and glory
for the faithful in eternity.
|p7 What are the seeds that must be planted in the home in order
for the family to achieve these fruits of peace, love, and
harmony? From a welfare services point of view, they may best be
summarized in the standards of personal preparedness. These
standards have been distributed throughout the Church. I hope we
will all learn and follow them.
|p8 Every day I review scores of letters from members of the
Church. They are writing for counsel regarding a myriad of
personal problems. As I consider these matters, returning most
to our local leaders, where they can best be dealt with, I am
reminded that most of us have personal and family problems. We
all have challenges, heartaches, and experience success and
failures. It is from these that we grow, gain strength and
experience while in mortality. But when they take on serious
proportions, it sometimes means we have not been fully obedient
to counsel--both that of the Lord through his Spirit and that of
our appointed leaders. Let us practice the principles of
personal and family preparedness in our daily lives. "If ye are
prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30).
|p9 Church Fruits
|p10 When we practice the precepts, doctrines, and programs of
welfare services, the fruit of our labors is the building of
Zion.
|P76|p1 The Lord declared: "For Zion must increase in beauty,
and in holiness; her borders must be enlarged; her stakes must
be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must arise and
put on her beautiful garments." (D&C 82:14; italics added). Zion
consists of the pure in heart--those who are sanctified and
whose garments are washed white through the blood of the Lamb
(see Alma 13:11). These are they who take charity as a mantle
and serve others out of a pure heart.
|p2 We are building up the strength of Zion--her cords or
stakes--throughout the world. Therefore, we counsel our people
to remain in their native lands and gather out the elect of God
and teach them the ways of the Lord. There temples are being
built and the saints will be blessed wherever they live in all
the world.
|p3 The Lord revealed his new and everlasting covenant to
prepare a people to meet him at his second coming. Very
important among the principles and doctrines required of us to
build up Zion are those which underlie welfare services. For we
must be "united according to the union required by the law of
the celestial kingdom; And Zion cannot be built up unless it is
by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise
I cannot receive her unto myself" (D&C 105:4-5). It is our
present opportunity and responsibility to give, nurture, and
work to bring forth the final fruits of welfare services, shown
in vision to Enoch and recorded in the Book of Moses:
|p4 "And righteousness will I send down out of Heaven; and truth
will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine
Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the
resurrection of all men; and righteouness and truth will I cause
to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect
from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall
prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins,
and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall
be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem"
(Moses 7:62).
|p5 It is my plea that we may keep our houses in order,
individually and collectively, and prepare to receive the fruits
of the gospel--even a fulness of joy.
|p6 I want now to introduce Sister Barbara Smith. I would like
to ask Sister Smith to come forward and share with you the
background on an action approved by the First Presidency
relative to Church wheat reserves.
|p7 Sister Barbara B. Smith: Thank you, President Kimball. On an
autumn day in 1876, President Brigham Young called to his office
one of my predecessors, Sister Emmeline B. Wells, then the
associate editor of the Woman's Exponent. He told her he wanted
the women of Zion to begin to save grain against a day of need
and that he wanted her to lead out in this mission. (See History
of Relief Society, 1842-1966, Salt Lake City: General Board of
Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, 1966, p. 109.)
|p8 Sister Wells said, "We began that very year, and though we
were laughed at, we did buy grain" (Relief Society Magazine,
Feb. 1915, p. 48). "Sisters be in earnest," she admonished, and
the women responded in spirit and deed (Woman's Exponent, 15
Oct. 1876, p. 76).
|p9 When they had no money to buy wheat, the women went into the
fields and gleaned it. They saved their "Sunday eggs" and
bartered or sold them in exchange for wheat. They made quilts,
rag rugs, cheese, and other items, that they traded or sold for
wheat.
|p10 Through the records of Relief Society we have glimpses of
their persistent efforts.
|p11 From Cedar City: "Our beloved bishop has granted us room in
the tithing office and we have sacked up 160 bushels of wheat.
We have other property we intend to turn into grain as soon as
opportunity offers." (Woman's Exponent, 15 Feb. 1877, p. 138.)
|p12 From Mantua, Box Elder County: "We have been trying to
carry out the counsel of our beloved President Brigham Young, in
storing grain; we have in store one hundred and fifteen bushels
of which thirteen were gleaned by the young ladies" (Woman's
Exponent, 1 Feb. 1878, p. 130).
|p13 The wheat stored by those dedicated early women has been
used in unexpected ways:
|p14 In 1898 Relief Society wheat was sent to the aid of the
people of Parowan, Utah, and other districts that were
drought-stricken. (See Relief Society Magazine, Feb. 1915, p.
58.)
|p15 In 1906, when earthquake and fire devastated the city of
San Francisco, a carload of flour from Relief Society wheat was
sent.
|p16 In 1906 another carload of flour was sent to China to
relieve suffering from famine.
|p17 In 1918 all 200,000 bushels of Relief Society wheat were
sold to the United States government to meet the food emergency
caused by World War I.
|p18 For a number of years, interest on the wheat was used to
provide for maternity care, child welfare, and general health
care for members of the Church.
|p19 And then again in 1940 the Relief Society purchased wheat
and stored it in the elevators at Welfare Square. (See History
of Relief Society, pp. 110-11.)
|p20 For more than one hundred years our wheat project has been
considered "a sacred trust." By wise investment, the value of
this program has increased, until today we have a sizable asset
in wheat and funds.
|p21 In an early Relief Society publication, a sister wrote her
feelings on wheat saving. She said:
|p22 "If anyone doubts . . . let her look about her, behold the
myriads of little children in the land, and recollect that the
women who are now called upon to save the grain, are their
MOTHERS.
|p23 ". . . Could I imagine those pure, baby lips . . . asking
for BREAD when I had none to give!" (Woman's Exponents 1 Nov.
1876, p. 81.)
|p24 As women, we know that even though we give nourishment to
children in infancy and childhood, part of our challenge as
mothers is to help them mature and take their place in the great
plan of life and salvation. In the past, Relief Society women
have nourished numerous beginning programs to meet needs,
including education and career development programs, hospitals,
maternity care, adoption, and other social services and welfare
projects. When the projects have matured, Relief Society has
been proud to see them move into the larger sphere of Church
stewardship.
|p25 The Relief Society General Presidency has prayerfully
considered the matter of their wheat stewardship and has decided
that this responsibility has now been fulfilled. It is time to
include the Relief Society wheat in the worldwide Church grain
storage program.
|p26 We wish to propose that the 266,291 bushels of Relief
Society wheat now be made a part of the grain storage plan of
Welfare Services for the benefit of all of the members of the
Church and that the wheat fund be used exclusively for purchase
of grain. This action is unanimously supported by the Relief
Society general board. We have also written to the stakes and
the missions recorded as holding wheat certificates as of 1 July
1957 and have received their unanimous support.
|p27 With President Kimball's permission, |P77|p1 I would like
to ask the sisters present in this meeting also to affirm this
action. All sisters in favor of joining with us in the decision
to include the Relief Society wheat in the worldwide Church
grain storage program please signify. Thank you.
|p2 It is with great pride in the accomplishments of the past
and with tenderness of heart that we, the women of Zion, place
our wheat and wheat assets at your disposal, President Kimball,
to be used for grain storage purposes under your administration,
through the General Church Welfare Committee.
|p3 We pray that the Relief Society wheat will continue to be
considered a sacred trust. May it bless the lives of all who are
its recipients. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
|p4 President Kimball:
|p5 Sister Smith, in behalf of the brethren of the Church and
the Church in general, we accept this great gift that you have
given to us from the Relief Society with gratitude and
appreciation for its deep significance. We are conscious of the
considerable sacrifice and diligence of the Relief Society
sisters, who for over a century have faithfully discharged this
sacred wheat trust. We are confident that the Welfare Services
Department, under the direction of the General Welfare Services
Committee, which is composed of the First Presidency, the
Council of the Twelve, the Presiding Bishopric, and the Relief
Society General Presidency, will continue wheat reserves
management in the same fine manner in which it has been operated
by the Relief Society in the past. We will see that the Relief
Society gift is used, as has been intended, for a time of need
to bless the lives of Church members everywhere worldwide.
|p6 We are proud of the accomplishments of the women in the past
and the present. Now we ask you sisters to continue in your good
works and to support the programs of the Church, particularly
those of your own organization, the Relief Society.
|p7 We ask you also to support the Brethren, and we ask them to
support you and to work together as partners and companions in
furthering the work of the Lord and your own salvation. Let this
gift from the Relief Society today be an example of the
cooperative effort and harmony that can enrich our lives in the
Church and in the home.
|p8 May the Lord bless us in this great and divinely inspired
welfare work, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 1, 1978 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
An Eternal Hope in Christ
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My dear brothers and sisters, we came together to wait upon
the Lord, to be cleansed and edified by his Spirit, and to know
in our hearts the spirit of true worship.
|p2 We have not been disappointed. The Lord has been with us by
the power of his Spirit, and it has been good for us to be here.
|p3 I hope we will go forth now, believing the doctrines that
have been preached, taking the counsels of the Brethren, and
basking in the same spirit that has uplifted and edified us
while here.
|p4 Let us conclude in a tone of testimony and in the spirit of
gratitude and thanksgiving to him whose we are, who has given us
all that we have, and in whose work we are engaged.
|p5 Our beloved brother Paul, after acclaiming "that Christ died
for our sins . . .
|p6 "And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third
day according to the scriptures," then said:
|p7 "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all
men most miserable" (I Cor. 15:3-4, 19).
|p8 Then he taught and testified that even as Christ is risen
from the dead, so will all men come forth from the grave; each
will then be judged according to his works, and each will
receive his appointed place in the mansions which are prepared.
|p9 In that resurrected state, Paul said, there are "celestial
bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the
glory of the celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and
the telestial, another" (Inspired Version, I Cor. 15:40).
|p10 Now this system of revealed religion which has come to us
by revelation is a very practical religion. It deals with flocks
and herds and properties; it teaches us how to get along with
each other here and now; it is a way of life that turns a dreary
and drab mortal existence into a glorious and exhilarating
experience.
|p11 But it is much more than this. The gospel of Jesus Christ
is the eternal plan of salvation. It is the plan devised and
announced by God, the Eternal Father, for the salvation of all
who will believe and obey.
|p12 We are eternal beings. We have no way of comprehending how
long we dwelt in the presence of God as his spirit children. We
are here in mortality for a moment of testing and trial. Then we
will come forth in the resurrection, receive an inheritance in
whatever kingdom we deserve, and go on living the commandments
to all eternity.
|p13 This life consists of a brief yesterday, a few short hours
of today, and a |P72|p1 few moments tomorrow. The oldest men
among us scarcely live longer than a hundred years. But the life
that is to be is forever. It will have no end. Men will rise
from the grave and not die after. Life is eternal, unending;
never after the resurrection will the children of our Father
taste death.
|p2 We have a hope in Christ here and now. He died for our sins.
Because of him and his gospel, our sins are washed away in the
waters of baptism; sin and iniquity are burned out of our souls
as though by fire; and we become clean, have clear consciences,
and gain that peace which passeth understanding (See Phil. 4:7.)
|p3 By living the laws of his gospel, we gain temporal
prosperity and maintain health of body and strength of mind. The
gospel blesses us today.
|p4 But today is just a grain of sand in the Sahara of eternity.
We have also a hope in Christ for the eternity that lies ahead;
otherwise, as Paul said, we would be "of all men most miserable"
(I. Cor. 15:19).
|p5 How great would be our sorrow--and justly so--if there were
no resurrection! How miserable we would be if there were no hope
of life eternal! If our hope of salvation and eternal reward
should fade away, we would certainly be more miserable than
those who never had such an expectancy.
|p6 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the
firstfruits of them that slept" (I Cor. 15:20).
|p7 Now the effects of his resurrection shall pass upon all men,
"for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive" (I Cor. 15:22).
|p8 Now "as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also
bear the image of the heavenly" (I Cor. 15:49).
|p9 Now provision has been made whereby "this corruptible shall
. . . put on incorruption and this mortal shall . . . put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. 15:54).
|p10 Then shall all men stand before the bar of the great
Jehovah to be judged according to the deeds done in the flesh.
|p11 Those who have lived after the manner of the world shall go
to a telestial kingdom whose glory is as the stars.
|p12 Those who have been decent and upright and who have lived
respectable and good lives will go to a terrestrial kingdom
whose glory is as the moon.
|p13 Those who have believed in Christ, who have forsaken the
world, who have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide and been
willing to lay their all on the altar, those who have kept the
commandments of God--they shall go to a celestial kingdom whose
glory is as the sun.
|p14 "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory?" Paul asks, (I Cor. 15:55).
|p15 There is no victory in the grave, for death is replaced
with life. Immortality is a free gift for all men through the
atoning ransom paid by the Son of God.
|p16 But, Paul says, "The sting of death is sin," meaning that
if men die in their sins, they will suffer the prescribed
penalty and gain a lesser glory in the realms ahead (I Cor.
15:56).
|p17 "But thanks be to God," the ancient apostle continues,
"which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I
Cor. 15:57).
|p18 If we are true and faithful, we shall rise, not alone in
immortality but unto eternal life. Immortality is to live
forever in an assigned kingdom. Eternal life is to gain
exaltation in the highest heaven and live in the family unit.
|p19 And so Paul exhorts the Saints:
|p20 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch
as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
|p21 "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be
strong." (I Cor. 15:58; 16:13.)
|p22 We have an eternal hope in Christ. We know this life is
given us to prepare for eternity, "and that same sociality which
exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be
coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy"
(D&C 130:2).
|p23 We believe, and it is our testimony, and we proclaim it to
the world "that there shall be no other name given nor any other
way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of
men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord
Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:17).
|p24 We know, and it is our testimony, and we also proclaim it
to the world that to be saved men must "believe that salvation
was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of
Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:18).
|p25 Thus, with Nephi, "we labor diligently to write, to
persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in
Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by
grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
|p26 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our
prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may
look for a remission of their sins." (2 Ne. 25:23, 26; italics
added.)
|p27 Also, with Nephi, we know the course all men must pursue
to gain an eternal hope.
|p28 "The right way," he said, "is to believe in Christ, and
deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye
must bow down before--him, and worship him with all your might,
mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye
shall in nowise be cast out" (2 Ne. 25:29).
|p29 We glory with Paul in these words spoken of our beloved
Lord: in him "we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins:
|p30 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of
every creature:
|p31 "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven,
and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him:
|p32 "And he is before all things, and by him all things
consist.
|P73|p1 "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he
might have the preeminence.
|p2 "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness
dwell." (Col. 1:14-19.)
|p3 And again with Paul we say:
|p4 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name:
|p5 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things
in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
|p6 "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
|p7 "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in
my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your
own salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil. 2:9-12.)
|p8 Now, relive with me this beautiful testimony of Peter:
|p9 "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of
man am?
|p10 "And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
|p11 "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
|p12 "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.
|p13 "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,
Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto
thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
|p14 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:13-18.)
|p15 To the testimonies of these mighty men and apostles of
old--our brethren in the ministry of the same Master--I add my
own testimony. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living
God and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.
|p16 He is my friend, my Savior, my Lord, my God.
|p17 With all my heart I pray that the Saints may keep his
commandments, have his Spirit, and gain an eternal inheritance
with him in celestial glory.
|p18 My beloved brethren and sisters, as we come to the final
moments of these glorious two days together, my heart goes out
to you in love and gratitude. Everywhere I go, there is a great
outpouring of love and kindness, and for that I am humbly
thankful. It is manna to my soul. Your prayers and your love
sustain me. The Lord hears your prayers and blesses me and my
Brethren with health and strength and directs us in the affairs
of his kingdom here upon the earth. For this all of us are
deeply grateful.
|p19 In return, I extend to you my love and grateful thanks. As
you return to your wards and stakes, your missions, and to your
individual homes around the world, I pray our Heavenly Father to
bless you and your families. Let the messages and spirit of this
conference radiate and find expression in all that you do
henceforth--in your homes, in your work, in your meetings, and
in all your comings and goings. Let us be better Latter-day
Saints now than we have ever been before. I pray the Lord to
bless you; and as his servant, I bless you and bid you a fond
farewell.
|p20 In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
March 31, 1979 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Fortify Your Homes Against Evil
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brethren and sisters, I greet you with the
warmest feelings of love and gratitude at this, the opening of
the divinely appointed world conference of the Lord's
church--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
|p2 I send my blessings and solemn greetings to all the Saints
and to our countless friends and investigators the world over.
Also, I invite the honest in heart everywhere to join with us in
worshiping our divine Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
|p3 Since we last met in general conference here on Temple
Square in Salt Lake City six months ago, we have witnessed much
growth and expansion of the Lord's kingdom. We have opened a
beautiful new temple in South America at Sao Paulo, Brazil, and
have rededicated for the work of the Lord the temple in Logan,
Utah, for the temple ordinances to be performed there.
|p4 Five other temples are in varying stages of construction,
and more are in contemplation toward fulfilling the prediction
of latter-day prophets that holy temples will dot this and other
lands from end to end, where the work of the Lord is being
firmly established.
|p5 Our missionary force is constantly growing and is now
approximately 28,000 missionaries. We think that there are tens
of thousands of brethren and sisters in the Wasatch Front and
elsewhere in the Church who could fill regular missions as
worthy, able brethren and sisters if their bishops would call
them on missions. We recognize that many of these missionaries
are young men and young women, and it's a growing number always.
They are spending two years of their lives in the mission field,
in the most significant and unselfish volunteer service, to
carry the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to the
nations of the world. These numbers are impressive, but we must
not stop there. The need is ever greater, and more and more
laborers are needed in the world.
|p6 We have established new missions covering almost all of the
free world, and we are turning our attention more diligently now
to one day sharing the gospel with our Father's children behind
the so-called iron and bamboo curtains. We have need to prepare
for that day. The urgency of that preparation weighs heavily
upon us. That day may come with more swiftness than we realize.
|p7 Every year now we are adding approximately a hundred new
stakes--the locally governed ecclesiastical units of Mormonism
composed of several wards and branches each. Only a few weeks
ago we created the thousandth such stake of Zion at Nauvoo,
Illinois, a place of deep historical significance to the Church.
|p8 I rejoice with you, my brothers and sisters, in these
statistical evidences of the progress and growth throughout
Zion. It is indeed progress to add new thousands of people to a
membership now in excess of four million. It is pleasing to
build the temples and places of worship in so many lands and to
add thousands of students to our expanding educational and
training programs for both youth and adults.
|p9 We are happy to see the further expansion of our vast Church
Welfare program, with new bishops' storehouses and production
units for relief of the poor. The Savior has commanded and
charged us with the care of the poor among us since the very
earliest days of the Church--even to the directing of the ways
in which the responsibility should be discharged--a program
which has always stressed the independence of the individual by
helping provide work opportunities and guiding lines for those
who need rehabilitation. We feel very happy with this growth and
all other growth that is being displayed in the Church in all
the lands where we go.
|p10 Each of our quorums of the priesthood has increased
steadily in membership, as also have our auxiliaries working
especially among the children, the youth, and the women of the
Church.
|p11 In all of this evidence of progress, there is cause for
rejoicing, but unfortunately we cannot proclaim that "all is
well in Zion." We find that we Latter-day Saints are also
vulnerable to the destructive forces of evil that are all about
us in this sin-sick world. Of the greatest concern in this day
are those evils which tear at the fabric of the home and family.
|p12 Often we have called upon our people, and we repeat it
again, to give attention to the outward appearance of their
homes and buildings, the barns, the sheds, the fences, the
places of business, to make our communities attractive and
desirable. We have asked, and repeat it again and again, that
you plant trees and shrubs and vegetables and berry gardens to
|P5|p1 beautify your properties and help provide for your needs.
Your response to these appeals has been gratifying, and many
letters have been received telling of your cooperation in these
matters, and we are very proud of you.
|p2 Don't stop. Continue on. But while we would encourage you to
continue to give attention to the outward appearance of your
homes, we now implore you to give more and more attention to the
interior of `your homes. I do not refer alone to the cleanliness
and attractiveness of the home and furnishings, as important as
these may be, but to the cleanliness and godliness of the family
members and to the general atmosphere that prevails.
|p3 The Church's long-standing concern for children and its
massive commitment in time and energy and resources to improve
their lot are well-documented. We are constantly seeking ways to
strengthen families and bless children, and that commitment will
be continued and reinforced this year and in all the years to
come.
|p4 The Church welcomes the concerns of others to achieve these
beneficial ends through appropriate means. We again are
reemphasizing, however, that the greatest blessing we can give
our own children and that can be extended to all the children of
the world will come through the simple processes of teaching and
training them in the way of the Lord.
|p6 There seems to be a growing tendency to shift this
responsibility from the home to outside influences such as the
school and the church, and of greater concern, to various
child-care agencies and institutions. Important as these outward
influences may be, they never can adequately take the place of
the influence of the mother and the father. Constant training,
constant vigilance, companionship, and being watchmen of our own
children are necessary in order to keep our homes intact and to
bless our children in the Lord's own way.
|p7 The Doctrine and Covenants makes it very clear. It is the
responsibility of the parents to teach their children. All other
agencies are secondary. If parents do not teach their
children--their children--they will be held responsible.
|p8 We need continually to fortify our homes and families and
defend them against the onslaught of evils such as divorce,
broken families, brutality, and abuse, especially of wives and
children. We need to constantly guard against immorality,
pornography, and sexual permissiveness that would destroy the
purity of the family members, young and old.
|p9 Such evils are very real and very threatening! One has but
to read the headlines of our newspapers and magazines to become
frighteningly aware of the crumbling, destructive influences
which surround us.
|p10 Perhaps I sound like an alarmist. If so, it is because I am
alarmed. I am greatly concerned, and so are my Brethren in the
First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles and
others of the General Authorities.
|p11 If we could but suggest you go home and lock these evils
out by closing and bolting the windows and locking the doors of
your homes securely, it would be a simple matter.
|p12 However, such security would be ineffective against the
evils of |P6|p1 which we speak. They come into our homes on
ether waves by radio and the television screen. We find these
evil forces almost everywhere we go. Exposure is almost
constant. We track them into the home from the school, from the
playground, from the theater, the office, and the marketplace.
There are but few places we go in our everyday world where we
can escape them.
|p2 What then must be our service? What must we do? We must be
constantly alert to their evil presence in our homes and destroy
them as we would the germs and filth of disease. We must hunt
them from the closets of our minds, freeing ourselves of such
worldliness, quenching the embers of wickedness before they
become destructive flames. How do we do this?
|p3 If we would escape those deadly thrusts of the evil one and
keep our homes and families free and solidly fortified against
all destructive influences so rampant about us, we must have the
help of the very founder and organizer of this family plan--the
Creator himself. There is only one sure way and that is through
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and being obedient to its
profound and inspired teachings. Surely we must be made to
realize that the purchase price of a family hearth free of such
evil influences is the keeping of the commandments of God.
|p4 Marriage, honorable marriage, is ordained of God. He decreed
that the basic unit of society should be the home and the
family, and we must be warned that the false culture of the day
is turning away from this God-ordained plan.
|p5 That the inspired plan was the Lord's is shown in his
declarations to us:
|p6 "For behold," he says, "this is my work and my glory--to
bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses
1:39).
|p7 In Hebrews we read this: "Marriage is honourable in all, and
the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will
judge" (Heb. 13:4).
|p8 Thus our Lord, who "is the same yesterday today, and
forever" (Morm. 9:9), has throughout all the ages reiterated
these requirements of the adults who follow his ordained plan
and sire and bear children.
|p9 The oft-quoted scriptures given in the early days of this
gospel dispensation have been a basic instruction from the
beginning of time and will continue to be until the end of time.
He commands,
|p10 "And again, Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or
in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to
understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son
of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost
by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be
upon the heads of the parents" (D&C 68:25).
|p11 I would emphasize that eight years of age. We don't wait
until they are young adults or till they are nearly grown to
teach them these laws. They should know at eight or before eight
all about baptism and about confirmation.
|p12 This command was to be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion,
not a mere hope or suggestion. As the stakes of Zion now are
spreading farther and farther among the inhabitants of the earth
in many lands, the responsibility becomes ever greater.
|p13 The Lord continues his advice to the parents in Zion, and
he says, "And they shall also teach their children to pray, and
`to walk uprightly before the Lord" (D&C 68:28).
|p14 We must realize that this. commandment does not cover
prayer only
|p15 but all the doctrines of the Church and the whole way of
life.
|p16 The command to teach the children seems to be of equal
power with the command to sire and to bear children. "Multiply,
and replenish the earth, and subdue it" (Gen. 1:28) was the
directive given in the Garden of Eden.
|p17 Selfishness is an element that breaks and corrodes and
destroys marriages as it destroys lives and all that is good. It
is an act of extreme selfishness for a married couple to refuse
to have children when they are able to do so. It is a crime next
to murder itself to destroy and abort the fetus except for
extreme reasons which would endanger the life of the mother.
|p18 As we have said on previous occasions, certainly our
Heavenly Father is distressed with the increasing inroads among
his children of such insidious sins as adultery and fornication
and homosexuality, lesbianism, abortion, alcoholism, dishonesty,
and, crime generally, which threaten the total breakdown of the
family and the home.
|p20 What we are saying about eternal marriage is not my opinion
only or the opinion of the leaders of the Church today. This is
the word of God, which supersedes all other opinions.
|p21 There seems, to be a growing trend against marriage from
degenerate areas of the world and a very strong trend toward
marriage without children. Naturally the next question is Why
marry?" And the "anti-marriage revolution" comes into focus.
Arguments are given that children are a burden, a tie, a
responsibility. Many have convinced themselves that education,
freedom from restraint and responsibility--that is the life. And
unfortunately this benighted and destructive idea is taking hold
of some of our own people.
|p22 Marriage is ordained of God. It is a necessary and
delightful condition. It is the only true state, and the failure
of many marriages does not change the rightness of marriage.
|p23 As we enter into an eternal marriage and seek to fortify
our family unit against that which would destroy our celestial
happiness, let us remember also that the Lord will not leave us
alone to accomplish this task.
|p24 The Lord has not promised us freedom from adversity or
affliction. Instead, he has given us the avenue of communication
known as prayer, whereby we might humble ourselves and seek his
help and divine guidance, so that we could establish a house of
prayer. I have previously said that they who reach down into the
depths of life where, in the stillness, the voice of God has
been heard, have the stabilizing power which carries them poised
and serene through the hurricane of difficulties. President
Harold B. Lee has said it this way: "Just as a flood-lighted
temple is more beautiful in a severe storm or in a heavy fog, so
the gospel of Jesus Christ is more glorious in times of inward
storm and of personal sorrow and tormenting conflict" (in
Conference Report, Apr. 1965, p. 16).
|p25 There is a great need in the |P7|p1 world today for prayer
which can keep us in touch with God and keep open the channels
of communication. None of us should get so busy in our lives
that we cannot contemplate with prayer. layer is the passport to
spiritual power.
|p2 It seems that at no time in world history has there been a
greater need for understanding and blending the wholesome and
divine teachings of the Master into our lives and into all our
dealings with our fellowmen. I say to everyone within the sound
of my voice, "Do not fail the Lord." We must accept the truth
that the gospel principles are not on trial but that we are. The
teachings of Jesus as revealed through the ancient and modern
prophets are constant and unchanging.
|p3 The history of man evidences that these teachings are true.
The rise and fall of civilizations according to the alternating
righteousness and wickedness of the peoples proclaim the need to
hear and to heed the Savior's divine messages. We must prepare
ourselves, both individually and as a church, to defend the
gospel truths against a world steeped in atheism and
godlessness. We must oppose the so-called intellectuals who
reason that they have all the answers, and we must contend
mightily with those whose lust for power and worldly gain
destroy their sense of right and wrong.
|p4 As members of Christ's true church we must stand firm today
and always for human rights and the dignity of man who is the
literal offspring of God in the spirit. We cannot condone a
separation of our religious beliefs from our daily living.
Righteousness must prevail in our lives and in our homes.
|p5 It is a must that we develop a love for Christ and give full
allegiance and service in the establishment of his kingdom.
Being a good Christian means we must be a good citizen of our
country, where ever we live. We must be respectful and honorable
in all our relationships with our fellowmen. We must worship the
Lord in truth and keep all of his commandments. We must seek for
an enlarged capacity to influence the world toward a return to
righteousness and a pure love of God.
|p6 May the Lord bless us all in our homes and families as we
strive to draw nearer to him and keep his commandments, I humbly
pray, my beloved brothers and sisters, in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
March 31, 1979 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Preparing for Service in the Church
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Brethren, we have had a rich experience this night,
listening to the servants of the Lord. They have given to us
words of truth and righteousness. I hope that these words have
sunk deep into the hearts of all those who have been listening
tonight.
|p2 This morning Elder Howard W. Hunter spoke of one of the
presidents of the Church, Wilford Woodruff, and it stirred my
memory of some experiences of President Woodruff that I had been
reading about. I would like to tell you of two or three of them
while we are concluding this meeting. All of these experiences
happened to him while he was a youth like those of you holding
the Aaronic Priesthood.
|p3 President Woodruff was one of the great spiritual giants of
this dispensation. The Lord gave him many dreams and visions; he
baptized thousands of converts, as was explained to us today,
and he performed many, many miracles. Few men have enjoyed more
of the guidance of the Holy Spirit than did President Woodruff.
He was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, was valiant and true
all his days, and, in the provinces of the Lord, he was the
fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. He is the one who dedicated the Salt Lake Temple in
1893, and it was to him that the founders of the American nation
appeared in the St. George Temple, seeking to have the temple
ordinances performed for them. That was very unusual, brethren,
and those kinds of miracles and visions and revelations were
rather unusual, as you would know. These men of the American
Constitution had lived in a day when the gospel was not upon the
earth, but they were upright, good men who were entitled to all
of the blessings which come to us.
|p4 We all need heroes to honor and admire; we need people after
whom we can pattern our lives. For us Christ is the chiefest of
these. "What manner of men ought ye to be?" he asked his Nephite
disciples. His answer, "Verily I say unto you, even as I am." (3
Ne. 27:21.) Christ is our pattern, our guide, our prototype, and
our friend. We seek to be like him so that we can always be with
him. In a lesser degree the apostles and prophets who have lived
as Christ lived also become examples for us.
|p5 Coming back to the thought of this special vision: Brother
Woodruff "saw to it through the authorities at the temple there
that these people received their endowments and the blessings to
which they were entitled. The wives went in and did the work for
the women, who were anxious that this work be done. Now you can
see why Elder Royden G. Derrick spoke to us today about temple
service. There are millions of people in the spirit world who
are anxious that this work be done for them, realizing that they
have come to a halt. They cannot go further until the work has
been done for them.
|p6 Brother Woodruff said:
|p7 "The first sermon that I ever heard in this Church was in
1833, by old father Zera Pulsipher, who died in the south, after
having lived to be considerably over eighty years old. That
sermon was what I had prayed for from my childhood," he said.
"When I heard it I had a testimony for myself that it was true.
I received it with every sentiment of my heart. He preached in a
schoolhouse upon a farm that we owned in Oswego County, New
York. He' opened the door for any remarks to be made. The house
was crowded. The first thing I knew I stood on top of a bench
before the people, not knowing what I got up for. But I said to
my neighbors and friends, `I want you to be careful what you say
as touching these men (there were two of them) and their
testimony, for they are servants of God, and they have testified
unto us the truth--principles that I have been looking for from
my childhood.'
|p8 "I went forth and was baptized. I was ordained a teacher. I
was always sorry that I was not a deacon first, for I had a
desire to bear the priesthood in its various degrees as far as I
was worthy. I had had a desire for years, not only to hear the
gospel, but to have the privilege and power of preaching it to
my fellow men. I was a miller by trade, and I spent many a
midnight hour in the mill calling upon the Lord for light and
truth, and praying that I might hear the gospel of Christ, and
be able to teach it to my fellow men. I rejoiced in it when I
did receive it." (Discourses of Wi/ford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer
Durham, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1946, p. 304.)
|p9 President Woodruff was born March 1, 1807; he was baptized
December 31, 1833, when he was twenty-six years old, and was
ordained a teacher on January 25, |P48|p1 1834.
|p2 What we learn from this experience is that he prayed in his
childhood to know the truth, and in his young manhood he spent
many nights calling upon the Lord. We learn that he desired to
preach the gospel, that his heart was right, and that he
immediately believed the gospel when he heard it preached.
|p3 Young people should seek to gain testimonies and should
desire to go on missions. We appreciated what was said about the
missions this afternoon by President Ezra Taft Benson. All young
men in the Church should be very eager to go on a mission, and
they should also assist their parents to fill missions after the
families are raised.
|p4 Now for the second experience of Brother Woodruff: "When I
was a boy eleven years old," President Woodruff says, "I had a
very interesting `dream. part of which was fulfilled to the very
letter. In this dream I saw a great gulf, a place where all the
world had to enter at death, before doing which they had to drop
their worldly goods. I saw an aged man with a beaver hat and a
broadcloth suit. The man looked very sorrowful. I saw him come
with something on his back, which he had to drop among the
general pile before he could enter the gulf. I was then but a
boy. A few years after this my father and mother removed to
Farmington, and there I saw that man. I knew him the moment I
saw him. His name was Chauncy Deming. In a few years afterwards
he was taken sick and died. I attended his funeral," President
Woodruff said. "He was what you may call a miser, worth hundreds
of thousands of dollars. When the coffin was being lowered into
the grave my dream came to me, and that night his son-in-law
found one hundred thousand dollars in a cellar belonging to the
old man. I name this merely to show that in this dream I had
manifested to me certain things that were true. I think of all
the inhabitants of the world having to leave their goods when
they come to the grave.
|p5 "After this scene had passed before me I was placed in a
great temple. It was called the kingdom of God. The first man
who came to me was Uncle Ozem Woodruff and his wife whom I
helped into the temple.
|p6 "In process of time, after embracing the gospel, and while
on my first mission to Tennessee, I told Brother Patten of my
dream, who told me that in a few years I would meet that man and
baptize him. That was fulfilled to the very letter, for I
afterwards baptized my uncle and his wife and some of the
children; also my own father and stepmother and stepsister; and
a Methodist priest or classleader--in fact, I baptized everybody
in my father's house. I merely mention this to show that dreams
sometimes do come to pass in life. (Discourses of Wilford
Woodruff, pp. 283-84.)
|p7 Alma tells us that the Lord "Imparteth his word by angels
unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all;
little children do have words given unto them many times which
confound the wise and the learned." (Al. 32:23.)
|p8 Young children are just as much entitled to the blessings of
the Lord as are their parents. Joseph Smith was only fourteen
years of age when the Father and the Son appeared to him to
usher in this dispensation. He was seventeen when Moroni visited
him and revealed to him the hiding place of the plates from
which the Book of Mormon was translated.
|p9 Young people should study the gospel, prepare themselves for
service in the Church, and keep the commandments as diligently
as it is possible to do.
|p10 The third experience:
|p11 " ... While holding the office of teacher I went to
Missouri in Zion's Camp. After arriving in Missouri, having gone
through many trials and tribulations, and suffering from
cholera, which caused us to lay in the grave fifteen of our
brethren, we stayed at Brother Lyman Wight's. While at Lyman
Wight's, I attended council meetings with the Prophet, with
David Whitmer, with Oliver Cowdery, and other leading brethren
of the Church. David Whitmer was the president of the stake of
Zion. Brother Joseph reproved him very sharply, as well as some
of the other brethren, because of their lack in fulfilling the
commandments of God and doing their duty.
|p12 "While at that place I had a great desire in my heart to go
and preach the gospel. I went off one Sunday night by myself
into a hickory grove, several hundred yards from the settlement,
and I asked the Lord to open the door for me that I might go and
preach the gospel. I did not want to preach the gospel for any
honor I might get on this earth; for I thoroughly understood, as
far as a man could in my condition, what a preacher would have
to pass through. It was not honor, nor wealth, nor gold, nor
silver, that I desired: But I knew this was the gospel of
Christ, revealed to me by the power of God; I knew this was the
Church of Christ; I knew Joseph Smith was a prophet of God; and
I had a desire that I might preach that gospel to the nations of
the earth. I asked the Lord to give me that privilege. The Lord
answered that prayer, and said I should have my desire granted.
I got up rejoicing. I walked about two hundred yards out in the
open road; and when I got into the road there stood Judge
Higbee. Said he, `Brother Woodruff, the Lord has revealed to me
that it is your duty to be ordained to go and preach the
gospel.'
|p13 "Said I, `Has he?'
|p14 "`Yes.'
|p15 "`Well,' said I, `If the Lord wants me to preach the
gospel, I am perfectly willing to go and do that.' I did not
tell him I had been praying for this.
|P49|p1 "The consequence was I attended a council at Lyman
Wight's, and was called and ordained to the office of a priest
in the Aaronic Priesthood, while other brethren were ordained
elders. I was called by Bishop Partridge to go to the southern
country on a mission. Bishop Partridge asked me a great many
questions, and I asked him questions. It was then dangerous for
any of our brethren to go through Jackson County [Missouri.] He
wanted me to go to Arkansas, and the road led square through
Jackson County. I asked him if we should go through there (I had
a companion with me--an elder).
|p2 "Said he, `If you have got faith to do it, you may; I
haven't.'
|p3 "I thought that was a curious remark from a bishop.
|p4 "`Well,' said I, `The Lord says we must travel without purse
or scrip; shall we do it?'
|p5 "Said he, `That is the law of God; if you have faith to do
it, you can do it.
|p6 "He said he had hardly got faith to go into Jackson County.
However, we started and went through Jackson County. We came
near losing our lives, and were saved almost by a miracle. We
traveled through Arkansas and other parts.
|p7 "But I do not want to dwell on these things. I merely wish
to say that I went out as a priest, and my companion as an
elder, and we traveled thousands of miles, and had many things
manifested to us. I desire to impress upon you the fact that it
does not make any difference whether a man is a priest or an
apostle, if he magnifies his calling. A priest holds the key of
the ministering of angels. Never in my life, as an apostle, as a
seventy, or as an elder, have I ever had more of the protection
of the Lord than while holding the office as a priest. The Lord
revealed to me by visions, by revelations, and by the Holy
Spirit, many things that lay before me." (Discourses of Wilford
Woodruff pp. 298-300.)
|p8 President Woodruff sought the privilege to go on a mission
when he was a teacher, and he went forth as a missionary when he
was a priest. The Lord blessed him and preserved him and gave
him many visions and revelations.
|p9 I just wish to say this in conclusion: It is wonderful to
meet this large body of brethren who hold the priesthood and I
sincerely feel that the men who have come here tonight--the men
and boys--reverence and appreciate their priesthood and the
privileges that are given to them. We will close this meeting
with our love and appreciation to all men and boys and their
wives and mothers in all the lands of this world. We ask them to
be devout and faithful and true to all of the testimonies they
have. I bear this testimony to you that this work is divine. We
have a special work to do and we must do it, and I pray this all
in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
March 31, 1979 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
Applying the Principles of Welfare Services
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, what sweetness fills the
soul at conference time. How grateful I am to share the spirit
of this hour with you, to feel your spirit and strength, and to
recognize your work and your accomplishments.
|p2 In the decade of the seventies, we have seen great strides
in the growth of the Church. The Lord continues to bless his
Church, and this growth will accelerate in the future. It is
primarily in response to this growth that we have expanded
priesthood councils to the area and region levels as explained
by the Brethren here this morning.
|p3 The Lord, through revelation, has made provision in the
priesthood structure of the Church to accommodate for change and
growth. You have been well instructed, enough so I do not need
to review the details of this important step forward. However, I
would like to share with you an incident in Church history which
has application to today's proceedings:
|p4 "This afternoon the Twelve met in council, and had a time of
general confession. ... The time when we are about to separate
is near; and when we shall meet again, God only knows; we
therefore feel to ask of him whom we have acknowledged to be our
Prophet and Seer, that he inquire of God for us, and obtain a
revelation, (if consistent) that we may look upon it when we are
separated, that our hearts may be comforted. even a great
revelation, that will enlarge our hearts, comfort us in
adversity, and brighten our hopes amidst,the powers of
darkness." (History of The Church, 2:209-10.)
|p5 It was in compliance with this request that the Prophet
Joseph inquired of the Lord and received what we have as section
107 of the Doctrine and Covenants, from which I quote:
|p6 "The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to
officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the
Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of
heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of
the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and secondly
unto the Jews.
|p7 "The Seventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the
direction of the Twelve or the traveling high council, in
building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the
same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and then to the
Jews. (D&C 107:33-34.)
|p8 We see that the Twelve Apostles officiate in the name of the
Lord under the direction of the First Presidency of the Church,
and the Seventy act in their office under the direction of the
Twelve. Provision is also made, in this revelation, for Regional
Representatives and others as the work of the ministry may
require:
|p9 "Whereas other officers of the church, who belong not unto
the Twelve, neither to the Seventy, are not under the
responsibility to travel among all nations, but are to travel as
their circumstances shall allow, notwithstanding they may hold
as high and responsible offices in the church" (D&C 107:98).
|p10 In order that the priesthood administration of his church
might be complete, the Lord has set forth how "to manage ... all
things pertaining to the [presiding] bishopric" and the manner
in which the temporal work of the kingdom is to be accomplished
(D&C 82:12). Again from section 107 I quote the following:
|p11 "The office of a bishop is in administering all temporal
things; ...
|p12 "Nevertheless, a high priest, that is, after the order of
Melchizedek, may be set apart unto the ministering of temporal
things, having a knowledge of them by the Spirit of truth;
|p13 "And also to be a judge in Israel, to do the business of
the church" (D&C 107:68, 71-72).
|p14 We have seen in the last several years a more complete
application of these revealed instructions. Today we should even
more clearly understand how they are to be applied in building
up the Church in all nations. Events in the world may make this
approach to managing the affairs of the kingdom not only
practical but a necessity in the years ahead.
|p15 As the kingdom thus functions, these wonderful men of the
Quorum of the Twelve can go about the Church and set things in
order as is necessary, but be relieved of their assignments to
manage programs and departments as they once did. The work of
managing and directing our various departments and programs is
now the work of our General Authorities in the First Quorum of
the Seventy, and they have the willing and capable support of
the Presiding Bishopric and our temporal departments--all to the
end that we can |P99|p1 move forward in unity and at a pace
never before known.
|p2 It should be understood, brothers and sisters, that the
establishment of these region and area priesthood councils is
primarily for the purpose of facilitating the work of the Church
in stakes, wards, and especially in our families.
|p3 We hope you wonderful stake presidents realize that part of
the reason for this step is to lift some of the load from your
shoulders. These responsibilities will now largely be shifted to
our Regional Representatives so that you can give full attention
to the affairs of your own stake. Recognizing this, I would like
to speak somewhat on the duties and the privileges of stake
presidents as they preside over and conduct the activities of
the Church, including the welfare services.
|p4 My first impressions of the labor of a stake president came
from observing my own father, Andrew Kimball. Father served from
1898 to 1924 as president of the St. Joseph Stake of Zion for
twenty-six and a half years. This stake was named in honor of
the martyred prophet. Though we as a family lived modestly,
Father seemed to find a way not only to teach bishops how to
care for the very poor, but on many occasions found it in his
heart to help many a downtrodden soul himself. I believe that
father so ministered to his people that he fulfilled a blessing
given him by President Joseph F. Smith, who promised that the
people of the Gila Valley would "seek unto him as children to a
parent." Although I am sure I did not then fully appreciate his
example, the standard he set was one worthy of any stake
president.
|p5 My father practiced what he preached. He didn't just tell
others to be self-reliant; we were taught to exemplify it as a
family. We raised almost all of our own food. He always wanted a
garden--he wanted a garden to eat from and a garden to smell. I
used to pump the water by hand to water the garden, and also I
learned to milk the cows, prune the fruit trees, mend the
fences, and all the rest. I had two older brothers, who, I was
convinced, took all the easy jobs and left me all the hard ones.
But I don't complain; it made me strong.
|p6 I, too, had the privilege of serving as a stake president. I
served as the first president of the Mt. Graham Stake, formed in
1938 from parts of the St. Joseph Stake. Like all of you
presidents, I have experienced the sadness as well as the joy of
laboring with those in difficulty.
|p7 I well remember the flood of September 1941. It rained
continually the weekend of stake conference. The day after stake
conference the Gila River overflowed its channel and swept
through Duncan, Arizona, and environs. After consulting with my
first counselor, Vernon McGrath, regarding the Saints' immediate
needs, I loaded my car with goods from the interstake welfare
storehouse in Safford and drove the forty miles to Duncan.
Arranging matters as best we could there, I walked the eight
miles to Virden because bridges were unsafe for cars. I was
filled with grief as I viewed the devastation of the houses and
the farmland. Yet, in the ensuing weeks, I shared in perhaps the
most fulfilling experience of my tenure as stake president.
Through the high council and ward bishoprics, we organized for
reconstruction. From welfare supplies and local labor we
reestablished the people on the land. The contributions of the
Saints throughout the area were wonderful, and, as I recall, we
did not have to call on the General Welfare Committee for help.
We handled it all locally ourselves.
|p8 During this same period, I remember vigorously counseling
the people to be self-reliant and to avoid debt. The Great
Depression had not fully run its course when I was installed.
Although we did not then refer to it as personal and family
preparedness, we taught the Saints of our stake to care for
their own needs. In one way or another, we gave expression to
the basic principles of work, self-reliance, love, service,
consecration, and stewardship.
|p9 The firsthand experience of those days caused me to
contemplate with great pleasure the progress the Church has
achieved since welfare services were reemphasized in 1936.
|p10 From these experiences, coupled with observations of the
needs of our people at this time, I should like to share with
you what I would do today in welfare services if I were |P100|p1
now serving as a stake president.
|p2 First, I would learn the program. I would study the
scriptures, handbooks, and materials relating to welfare. I
would come to understand that Welfare Services is nothing more
nor less than "the gospel in action."
|p3 We think of welfare services as consisting of three parts:
first, prevention of problems through provident living. This
applies to every member. Second, temporary assistance for those
with immediate needs, and third, rehabilitation for those with
deep or long-lasting problems.
|p4 I well remember coming to conference as a stake president in
the early forties and hearing President Clark's discourse on
these aspects. They are just as true today as they were then.
|p5 It would be important for me to learn my duties as chairman
of the stake welfare services committee and as an active member
of my region welfare services council. In this respect it is
important to recognize, brethren, that some welfare services
activities must occur at the region and multiregion level. Even
though it would be convenient to have all the facilities located
in my own stake, I would be supportive of decisions made by the
region council that might place these in another stake.
|p6 Most of us learn best what we apply in our own lives. I hope
I would not be found wanting in applying basic gospel principles
in my life, in my own home, with my own family. I would live the
precepts of personal and family preparedness. That means having
a garden, wisely managing family resources, and expanding my
educational horizons. It means staying fit, replenishing the
family year's supply, fixing up our property, and all the rest
we have been asked of the Lord to do.
|p7 I remember another example my father set for the community
as the local stake president. He always tried to keep our home
and yard clean and neat. It just had to be that way. Once an old
cowpuncher who lived in Safford--when I was called to Salt Lake
to be an Apostle--came in to see me and said, "Well, Spencer,
you know, I always used to pass your place as we went to
meetings, and if it was clean, then I knew conference was on. If
it wasn't clean, it was something else."
|p8 I would also, brethren, learn to give of my means to the
welfare effort. I would pay a generous fast offering and respond
happily as a quorum member to welfare assignments.
|p9 Second, having learned everything I could, I would teach my
ward and stake officers the principles and practices of Welfare
Services. This includes instructing them in gospel principles,
duties, and specific assignments. With my counselors, I would
teach bishops to "[search] after the poor to administer to their
wants by humbling the rich and the proud" as the scriptures
teach (D&C 84:112).
|p10 We would reason with them from the scriptures and teach
them the law of the fast, the use of the storehouse, the basis
of determining individuals' needs, the types of service or work
to be rendered for assistance received, and how to counsel those
with personal problems. We must always remember that the bishop
has the sole mandate to actually minister to the needy.
|p11 We would teach the stake Relief Society sisters to train
their ward sisters in such things as how to make home visits in
support of the bishop. We would instruct quorum leaders
regarding meaningful home teaching, fostering personal and
family preparedness, and helping brethren with critical
problems.
|p12 Third, I would implement Welfare Services as best my stake
could. It is in the doing that the real blessing |P101|p1 comes.
Do it! That's our motto. After what we have heard this morning,
maybe we should change that to: Do it with a plan! But after we
have the plan--probably one for the whole area--then we must
implement it and get the job done.
|p2 There are so many opportunities for service, so many needs
to be met. Implementing means Deseret Industries drives, growing
commodities, and finding employment through the quorums. It
means collecting fast offerings. It means finding foster homes
for our Lamanite brothers and sisters. It means giving of self.
It means helping each other.
|p3 After all, this great plan is to bless both giver and
receiver, the givers knowing that "inasmuch as ye do it unto the
least of these, ye [have done] it unto me" (D&C 42:38), and the
receiver knowing that the Lord makes good his promise "to
provide for my saints, for all things are mine" (D&C 104:15).
|p4 The Church has always been concerned for all the Lord's
children. I recall an intense famine in China in 1907. A
resolution was presented to the general conference by President
John R. Winder to send twenty tons of flour to the suffering
people. Brother B. H. Roberts seconded the resolution with these
remarks:
|p5 "No calamity can fall upon any of our Father's children but
what our hearts go out in sympathy to them. I trust also that
this movement, which I believe will be unanimously endorsed by
this conference, may bear witness to the wisdom that exists in
our methods of collecting means for charitable and religious
purposes. Thank God, there is an institution in the earth whose
charities are constantly accumulating, that in the very moment
of need there is a means of ministering unto the children of
men--a circumstance that speaks loudly for the divine wisdom
that has made these provisions in the Church of Christ. With all
my heart I second the resolution of President Winder." (In
Conference Report, Apr. 1907, p. 59.)
|p6 The resolution was adopted by unanimous vote of the
congregation.
|p7 I thought of the story recently when we authorized the
building of more granaries around the United States and Canada.
I think of it today as we remind each leader of his duty to
implement the welfare program of the Church.
|p8 As I said, it is in the doing, in the implementing of the
work, that the real blessings come. How pleased I am with the
progress we are making. And while we ask much of you and will
continue to ask you to build, improve, function, and lengthen
your stride in your particular stewardship, I would like to
recognize and publicly express appreciation for your excellent
services.
|p9 We wish to extend our love and appreciation to all those who
have provided service and sacrifice in the Indian student
placement program. To you wonderful Indian parents, we give our
love. We know of your sacrifice in allowing your children the
opportunity for a good education away from home and access to
the full Church program. We know how your love will bless the
lives of your children and strengthen your entire family. To you
foster parents who give of your life, your time, and your means,
we offer our deepest appreciation. We know your participation
requires love and a little extra to provide for these Lamanite
youth. We also know that many blessings come to you and your
family as you demonstrate this love and unselfishness for
others. Both foster families and Indian families benefit from
the experience. The placement program was inspired of the Lord.
We have watched many of our Lamanite youth become strong leaders
in the Church, and many have taken their place as leaders in
their communities and in the world.
|p10 We encourage bishops to continue their work in this
important and official program of the Church. Seek out Lamanite
youth who will benefit from the program and help them blossom as
the rose. Stake presidents, guide your bishops in this effort,
too.
|p11 We congratulate those who take pride in operating
efficiently, economically, and safely, who have cleaned up and
fixed up their welfare farm properties. A welfare farm provides
a great opportunity for a stake president to teach stewardship
principles. The limiting factor on many farms is priesthood
leadership. We thank those stake presidents who have organized
their farm committee, who have delegated efficiently, who hold
regular accountability interviews.
|p12 We wish to recognize those who have caught the vision of
quality. Nothing is too good for the Lord. Isn't it wonderful
that we could serve the Lord what we produce from our own
welfare farms?
|p13 We are glad to receive reports regarding the construction
of new storehouses, canneries, and Deseret Industries buildings.
We know this is done at considerable sacrifice. But when we have
sufficient strength, it is approved by those appointed to this
work. It is the desire of the Lord that we have these
storehouses--it is through them we are to care for the poor and
the needy.
|p14 Here is what the Lord counseled the first Presiding Bishop
of the Church:
|p15 "And again, let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this
church; and let all things both in money and in meat, which are
more than is needful for the wants of this people, be kept in
the hands of the bishop....
|p16 "And thus I grant unto this people a privilege of
organizing themselves according to my laws....
|p17 "Behold, this shall be an example unto my servant Edward
Partridge, in other places, in all churches." (D&C 51:13, IS,
18.)
|p18 The Lord still permits us today to follow his divine
pattern. Our own Bishop Brown is responsible to follow this
"example... in all churches" as circumstances permit. To those
of you who are thus engaged, we express our love and
appreciation.
|p19 May I conclude by once again reminding us that we are not
about our work or any work but the Lord's work. We are building
his kingdom. We are privileged to be members thereof. As such we
are under obligation to the dictates of the Lord given in the
one hundred and fifth section of the Doctrine and Covenants:
|p20 "And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles
of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive
her unto myself.
|p21 "And my people must needs be chastened until they learn
obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer.
|p22 "... Therefore, let us become subject unto her laws." (D&C
105:5-6, 32.)
|p23 Again we express to all of you here our deep gratitude for
all that is being done.
|p24 I know that God lives, I know this is his work, and I ask
him to continue to bless us with inspiration and judgment. In
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
April 1, 1979 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Let Us Move Forward and Upward
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brethren and sisters, this has been a glorious
conference. We are grateful to all who have taken part in any
way. My heart has rejoiced, and my thoughts have been inspired
to turn to many things, as what has been said and sung has
deeply touched me.
|p2 Now, my brothers and sisters, it seems clear to me, indeed,
this impression weighs upon me--that the Church is at a point in
its growth and maturity when we are at last ready to move
forward in a major way. Some decisions have been made and others
pending, which will clear the way, organizationally. But the
basic decisions needed for us to move forward, as a people, must
be made by the individual members of the Church. The major
strides which must be made by the Church will follow upon the
major strides to be made by us as individuals.
|p3 We have paused on some plateaus long enough. Let us resume
our journey forward and upward. Let us quietly put an end to our
reluctance to reach out to others--whether in our own families,
wards, or neighborhoods. We have been diverted, at times, from
fundamentals on which we must now focus in order to move forward
as a person or as a people.
|p4 Seemingly small efforts in the life of each member could do
so much to move the Church forward as never before. Think,
brothers and sisters, what would happen if each active family
were to bring another family or individual into the Church
before next April conference: We would be joined by several
hundred thousand new members of the Church. Imagine, if only one
additional mature couple were to be called on a full-time
mission from each ward--our missionary force would go from
27,500 to over 40,000! Contemplate the results if each family
were to assist--between now and next April conference--an
inactive family or individual into full activity. How we would
revel in the association of those tens of thousands!
|p5 Think of the blessings here and on the other side of the
veil if each holder of a temple recommend were to do just one
more endowment this next year! And how would our nonmember
neighbors and friends feel if we were each to do just one more
quiet act of Christian service for them before October
conference--regardless of whether or not they are interested in
the Church!
|p6 Imagine how much richer our family life would be if our
spouses and children were to receive a few more minutes of
individual attention each month!
|p7 Are we ready, brothers and sisters, to do these seemingly
small things out of which great blessings will proceed? I think
we are. I believe the Lord's church is on the verge of an
upsurge in spirituality. Our individual spiritual growth is the
key to major numerical growth in the kingdom. The Church is
ready to accomplish these things now which it could not have
done just a few years ago. So also we are ready as members. If
you will accept my counsel, you will come to feel that there is
a readiness in our people which must be put to work.
|p8 Let us not shrink from the next steps in our spiritual
growth, brothers and sisters, by holding back, or side-stepping
our fresh opportunities for service to our families and our
fellowmen.
|p9 Let us trust the Lord and take the next steps in our
individual lives. He has promised us that he will be our tender
tutor, measuring what we are ready for:
|p10 "And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of
good cheer, for I will lead you along" (D&C 78:18).
|p11 He will not ask us to bear more than we can bear nor thrust
upon us that for which we are not yet ready. But likewise, we
must not tarry too long when we are ready to move on.
|p12 It seems to me that basically there are two major causes
for the holding back which we see in the Church: First, sin
which results in disinterest or immobilization and guilt; and
second, the reluctance of good members of the Church to stretch
just a little bit more in the service, instead of being too slow
to see the power of their example or too shy about letting their
light shine. It is time for us all to take those seemingly small
steps forward which will, when compounded, mean major progress
for the Church!
|p13 The monumental challenge we face is to provide trained
leadership for our fast-growing membership and to help that
membership to keep clean from the world in which we must live.
|p14 The encroachment of the world into our lives is
threatening. How hard it seems to many people to live in the
world but not of the world.
|p15 Our constant prayer and our major efforts are to see that
the |P83|p1 members are sanctified through their righteousness.
We urge our people to "stand in holy places" (D&C 87:8).
|p2 There may be some who have a general feeling of uneasiness
because of world conditions and the lengthening shadows of evil.
But the Lord said: "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C
38:30).
|p3 The gospel gives purpose to our lives. It is the way to
happiness. Our success, individually and as a church, will
largely be determined by how faithfully we focus on living the
gospel in the home.
|p4 Only as we see clearly the responsibilities of each
individual and the role of families and the home can we properly
understand that the priesthood quorums and the auxiliary
organizations, even wards and stakes, exist primarily to help
members live the gospel in the home. However, church programs
should always support and never detract from gospel-centered
family activities.
|p5 Members should achieve personal and family preparedness,
assisting and strengthening their own family members and others
temporally and spiritually in the Lord's way.
|p6 All should work together to make home a place where we love
to be, a place of listening and learning, a place where each
member can find mutual love, support, appreciation, and
encouragement.
|p7 Let us "be of good cheer" (D&C 78:18), for the Lord will, as
he has promised, lead us along and show us the way. He will help
us as we decide from day to day on the( allocation of our time
and talent. We will move faster if we hurry less. We will make
more real progress if we focus on the fundamentals. We will even
come to know more as we serve more, for as we learn to hear more
we are made ready to hear more (see John 16:12 and Mark 4:33).
|p8 The Lord has helped to make us ready for major progress. Let
us now go to and make the world ready for his coming!
|p9 Brothers and sisters, I've been so very much impressed with
the sermons of the Brethren as they have poured out their souls
to us in teaching us the principles of the gospel. They have
been well defined and well explained.
|p10 I want to bring to your attention one or two of the
scriptures that have |P84|p1 been mentioned in the services
already. For instance, this one:
|p2 "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of
man am?
|p3 "And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
|p4 "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
|p5 "And Simon Peter answered [for the others] and said, Thou
art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt. 16:13-16.)
|p6 That is our message. That is what we are attempting to take
to the world, to see that every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people, and every individual under heaven hears that message in
a real, important way.
|p7 Now, continuing the quotation: "Jesus answered and said unto
him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath
not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven [has
revealed it to thee].
|p8 "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven" (Matt. 16:17, 19.)
|p9 And that explains to us the importance of our role as we go
out into the world. We teach them the truths, teach them how to
follow the truths, and promise them these blessings which we
have the authority from heaven to give to them.
|p10 I want to quote a few lines from Peter as he neared his
demise:
|p11 "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle,
even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
|p12 "Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my
decease to have these things always in remembrance.
|p13 "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we
made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
|p14 "For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when
there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is
my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
|p15 "And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we
were with him in the holy mount.
|p16 "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye
do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a
dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your
hearts:
|p17 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is
of any private interpretation." (2 Pet. 1:14-20.)
|p18 And now another, more modern scripture I should like to
add:
|p19 "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given
of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of
him: That he lives!"--and this you have heard many times during
this conference from various serious-minded Brethren with a
strong testimony.
|p20 "For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we
heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of
the Father--
|p21 "That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are
and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons
and daughters unto God." (D&C 76:22-24.)
|p22 One more scripture: "But now mine own eyes have beheld God;
but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes
could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in
his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face,
for I was transfigured before him" (Moses 1:11).
|p23 And then one other:
|p24 "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon,
son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him,
Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,
Feed my lambs.
|p25 "He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of
Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou
knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
|p26 "He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the
third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou
knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith
unto him, Feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17.)
|p27 Now the Lord has said that to every man, woman, and child
in this congregation and in this world who has joined his
church: "Lovest thou me?" Then show me! Show me: feed my sheep.
we have in many of the lands of this world large, fast-growing,
delightful, wonderful congregations; and we say to you again
that the Lord is saying, "Feed my sheep." And he knows whether
we are or not. He knows all the time. We don't need to put it'
into words; we don't need to express that for ourselves. All we
need to do is to feed his sheep.
|p28 I might mention one more thing that Brother Haight
mentioned--teaching the gospel by the adults. I think it is a
matter that we have overlooked. We have rather forgotten, we
older people, who have been retired and who have found an easy
place to go with our camping outfit and with our other
opportunities. We have found an easy way to satisfy our own
thoughts and our own consciences that the work must go on--we
will send our boys, we say.
|p29 I like the thought very much that Elder Haight mentioned:
All of us have this responsibility. Not all of us are able, but
many, many of us are. Hundreds of thousands of Latter-day Saints
are able to preach the gospel in a careful, splendid way as the
gospel is given to them.
|p30 The Lord has promised us that he would give us all the help
and the strength and the inspiration that we need, and so all he
says is, "Feed my sheep; feed my lambs." And there are
thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of little
sheep, little lambs that need feeding in all these countries in
the world.
|p31 So we ask you again to do the things that we have
suggested, brothers and sisters, such as keeping up your homes
and writing in your journals. Every person should keep a journal
and every person can keep a journal. It should be an
enlightening one and should bring great blessings and happiness
to the families. If there is anyone here who isn't doing so,
will you repent today and change--change your life?
|p32 Now I should close. I wish to say to you, my brothers and
sisters, we love you devotedly, we love you all, we appreciate
all you do, and we just hope you will do more.
|p33 We ask our Heavenly Father to give you power to extend your
blessings to the people in your neighborhood who need them and
to take the gospel to areas in the world that need those
blessings now. We ask our Heavenly Father to be with you between
now and our next conference and from then on. And we say again,
Jesus is our light; he is our stay; he is our Savior and he
lives; and we bear this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ,
amen.
October 6, 1979 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
"We Need a Listening Ear"
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brethren and sisters all over the world, this
morning I express our greetings to Elders Gene R. Cook and F.
Enzio Busche, who are ill at this time. I greet you this morning
with deepest feelings of love and gratitude at this, the opening
session of the world conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
|p2 Many things have happened, personally and in the Church, in
the interval since our April conference six months ago. I have
twice been hospitalized and am most thankful that I am alive and
well and able to meet with you today. I thank you for the many
prayers offered in my behalf and am grateful that our Heavenly
Father answered those prayers with blessings upon me in such
rich abundance.
|p3 Brethren and sisters, once again I call to our attention the
fourth commandment given by the Lord to Moses on Mount Sinai:
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8). Let us
observe it strictly in our homes and in our families. Let us
refrain from all unnecessary labors. Sunday is not a day for
hunting or fishing, nor for swimming, picnicking, boating, or
engaging in any other sports. The stores in areas where we are
more numerous would not long remain open on Sunday if the Saints
refrained from shopping on that day. Remember, the Lord has
said:
|p4 "And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from
the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy
sacraments upon my holy day;
|p5 "For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from
your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High" (D&C
59:9-10).
|p6 And then comes the glorious promise:
|p7 "And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with
cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for
this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful" countenance--
|p8 "Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of
the earth is yours" (D&C 59:15-16).
|p9 Once again I express pleasure with the response that has
come from our urging the planting of fruit trees and gardens.
Surely as the harvest season comes to a close, there is
satisfaction as we garner and preserve and store the bounty with
which the Lord has blessed our efforts.
|p10 In this same vein, we appreciate the labors of those who
have cleaned up, fixed up, and painted homes, fences, barns, and
places of business, as we suggested some time ago. Please keep
up this good work.
|p11 I love our hymn which, among other things, reminds us that
"prayer is the soul's sincere desire" (Hymns, no. 220). Prayer
is such a privilege--to speak to our Father in Heaven. It was a
prayer, a very special prayer, which opened this whole
dispensation! It began with a young man s first vocal prayer. I
hope that not too many of our prayers are silent, even though
when we cannot pray vocally, it is good to offer a silent prayer
in our hearts and in our minds.
|p12 Never hesitate to gather your family around you for your
prayers, especially in those times when more than morning and
evening family prayer is needed. Extra needs require extra
prayers.
|p13 Your little ones will learn how to talk to their Father in
Heaven by listening to you as parents. They will soon see how
heartfelt and honest your prayers are. If your prayers are a
hurried and thoughtless ritual, they will see this too.
|p14 Difficult as it seems, I have found when praying, other
than in private and secret, that it is better to be concerned
with communicating tenderly and honestly with God, rather than
worrying over what the listeners may be thinking. The echoing of
"amen" by the listeners is evidence of their accord and
approval. Of course, the setting of prayers needs to be taken
into account. This is one reason why public prayers, or even
family prayers, cannot be the whole of our praying.
|p15 Some things are best prayed over only in private, where
time and confidentiality are not considerations. If in these
special moments of prayer we hold back from the Lord, it may
mean that some blessings may be withheld from us. After all, we
pray as petitioners before an all-wise Heavenly Father, so why
should we ever think to hold back feelings or thoughts which
bear upon our needs and our blessings? We hope that our people
will have very bounteous prayers.
|p16 It would not hurt us, either, if we paused at the end of
our prayers to do some intense listening--even |P5|p1 for a
moment or two--always praying, as the Savior did, "not my will,
but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).
|p2 I love the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin when he said, "Work
as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to
die tomorrow" (John Bartlett, comp., Familiar Quotations,
Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1968, p. 422).
|p3 And when the day is done, as well as when it begins, let us
not forget to pray, for as George Herbert observed, "[He] who
goes to bed and does not pray, maketh two nights to every day"
(Familiar quotations, p. 323).
|p4 I always have very tender feelings about prayers and the
power and blessings of prayer. In my lifetime I have received
more blessings than I can ever adequately give thanks for. The
Lord has been so good to me. I have had so many experiences in
sickness and in health that leave me with no shadow of doubt in
my heart and mind that there is a God in heaven, that he is our
Father, and that he hears and answers our prayers.
|p5 Again, let me express to all of you publicly my deep and
heartfelt sense of gratitude for the many prayers that have been
offered in my behalf during my recent illness. They have been a
wonderful source of peace and comfort and healing of body and
spirit to me and my beloved Camilla. The Lord has heard your
petitions, and, as a result, I am privileged to be present with
you in this great conference.
|p6 On a number of occasions I have encouraged the Saints to
keep personal journals and family records. I renew that
admonition. We may think there is little of interest or
importance in what we personally say or do--but it is remarkable
how many of our families, as we pass on down the line, are
interested in all that we do and all that we say. Each of us is
important to those who are near and dear to us--and as our
posterity read of our life's experiences, they, too, will come
to know and love us. And in that glorious day when our families
are together in the eternities, we will already be acquainted.
|p7 From time immemorial the Lord has counseled us to be a
record-keeping people. In Exodus we read, "And Moses wrote all
the words of the Lord" (Ex. 24:4).
|p8 And further: "And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto
Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven,
and this earth; write the words which I speak" (Moses 2:1).
|p9 Nephi said to his brothers as they journeyed from the
wilderness back to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass:
"Behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these
records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of
our fathers" (I Ne. 3:19).
|p10 When the Savior visited this continent following his
resurrection, he commanded the Nephites to bring their records
up to date, saying:
|p11 "Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I
have told you. . . .
|p12 "And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not
written this thing . . . ?
|p13 "And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be
written; therefore it was written according as he commanded" (3
Ne. 23:4, 11, 13).
|p14 And in our day the Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith,
"And again, let all the records be had in order, that they may
be put in the archives of my holy temple" (D&C 127:9).
|p15 Let us then continue on in this important work of recording
the things we do, the things we say, the things we think, to be
in accordance with the instructions of the Lord. For those of
you who may not have already started your books of remembrance
and your records, we would suggest that this very day you begin
to write your records quite fully and completely. We hope that
you will do this, our brothers and sisters, for this is what the
Lord has commanded.
|p16 As we look about us, we see many forces at work bent on the
destruction of the family, both in America and abroad. Family
ties are being destroyed by an ever-increasing divorce rate, by
increased infidelity of spouses, by the abominable sin of
abortion, which bids well to become a national scandal and is a
very grave sin. Another erosion of the family is unwarranted and
selfish birth control.
|p17 The strengthening of family ties should become a rallying
cry for Latter-day Saint families everywhere. So also should a
return to chastity, our most valuable possession. Chastity and
virtue are "most dear and precious above all things" (Moro.
9:9), more valuable than rubies or diamonds, than herds and
flocks, than gold and silver, or than automobiles and land. But,
sadly, in many cases they are on sale at the cheapest shops and
at the cheapest prices.
|p18 These virtues cannot be purchased with money, but may be
enjoyed by all people, even those of humble birth and humble
circumstances as well as the rich, as much by the high' school
student as by those who are the professors of the universities.
Everyone may enjoy these great blessings by living for them.
|p19 The lack of chastity, fidelity, and virtue--fast becoming
great, worldwide sins which need to be repented of--causes
rivers of tears to flow, breaks numerous homes, deprives and
frustrates armies of innocent children. Loss of virtue, as you
know, has toppled many nations and civilizations. Moral
decadence is a villain, and his forehead is branded with the
words dishonesty, bribery, irreverence, selfishness, immorality,
debauchery, and all forms of sexual deviation.
|p20 Each of us is a son or daughter of God and has a
responsibility to measure up to a perfect, Christlike life of
self-mastery, finally returning to God with our virtue.
|p21 Tonight I plan to speak to the priesthood brethren,
assembled in hundreds of locations around the world, and remind
them that "we have all been blessed with special women in our
lives who have had a deep and lasting influence upon us. Their
contribution has been and is important to us [brethren] and is
something which will be of everlasting value to us." (See
ENSIGN, Nov. 1979, p. 48.) I wish to emphasize that thought this
morning. I cannot impress upon all of us too strongly the high
place of honor and respect our wives, mothers, sisters, and
daughters hold in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
|p22 "Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither
the woman without the man, in the Lord" (I Cor. 11:11).
|p23 Brethren, we cannot be exalted without our wives. There can
be no heaven without righteous women.
|p24 Our generation, as well as past ones, has become a drinking
people. The drinking craze is destructive of morals, causes
poverty and distress, and is responsible for much of the death
and carnage on our highways. How can this carnage be stopped?
|P6|p1 The gospel will do it. The message is from on high. It is
the will of God and carries a promise.
|p2 The Lord has said: "All saints who remember to keep and do
these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall
receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
|p3 "And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge,
even hidden treasures" (D&C 89:18-19).
|p4 The revelation also says: "I have warned you, and forewarn
you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation" (D&C
89:4).
|p5 The tobacco habit can be cured by merely living the Word of
Wisdom and the commandments of the Lord.
|p6 Living the completely chaste life, committing no adultery or
fornication, being completely true to one's spouse, and honoring
the marriage covenant would rid the world of the ravages of the
ugly, painful, and costly venereal diseases. It would strengthen
the home, abolish the evils of divorce, and eliminate the
necessity for the calamity of unwarranted abortions--one of the
major evils of our day.
|p7 While addressing the Saints from this pulpit in 1948, the
late President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., spoke concerning having a
prophet and a listening ear. He had read a pamphlet stating, "We
need a prophet." In answer he said, "No, we have had modern-day
prophets for more than a hundred years, and they have given us
the word of the Lord." He continued, "The trouble with the world
is they do not want a prophet teaching righteousness. They want
a prophet that will tell them that what they are doing is right,
no matter how wrong it may be." A prophet has spoken--the
prophet is speaking. We do not need another prophet. What we
need is a listening ear. (See Conference Report, Oct. 1948, pp.
79-80).
|p8 I pray that we may not only heed the words of President
Clark, but that we may listen and follow the counsel that is now
given as it comes by inspiration and revelation from the Lord
himself to the prophets today.
|p9 I close this message, bearing solemn testimony to all of you
within the sound of my voice that the gospel of Jesus Christ is
not only true but the only force that will be truly effective in
combatting the evils and solving the ills of the world.
|p10 The gospel of Jesus Christ is for all the world. It is the
message of salvation to all mankind. It is rolling forth from
this land of freedom--a land of divine destiny--to all the
world, as the great stone which Daniel saw hewn out of the
mountain without hands (see Dan. 2:45).
|p11 Brothers and sisters, this is the work of the Lord. It is
true. May the Lord bless us all in our homes and families as we
strive to draw nearer to him and keep his commandments. We
extend the same prayer and blessing to our Father's other
children everywhere and invite them to come and be one with us
in the Lord's true kingdom here upon the earth.
|p12 This is my prayer and my testimony in the name of our
beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
October 6, 1979 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Our Sisters in the Church
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brethren, it was wonderful to hear President Tanner
give such an excellent address, telling how we attempt to do the
Lord's work in his Church. I'm sure there are many people who do
not know what goes on in the Church. I'm sure that this will be
informative to many, many people.
|p2 This general priesthood meeting provides a wonderful
opportunity to thank you, the men and young men of the Church,
for all that you do to lead good lives and to build the kingdom
of God on the earth. We are eternally grateful to you, and we
take notice of the fact that God has placed you on the earth now
in order that your talents and devotion can be utilized in this
important period of human history and the history of the Church.
|p3 Three weeks ago tonight the women of the Church, both young
and older, filled this great tabernacle and assembled in the
same halls in which you are meeting tonight. Unable to attend
the women's meeting personally, I watched the proceedings of
that glorious event by special television in my hospital room.
My heart was filled to overflowing for the special blessing of
the wonderful sisters of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints--God's heavenly kingdom here upon the earth.
My beloved eternal companion, Camilla, read to those lovely
sisters my brief message.
|p4 In that message I said to the sisters: "As we approach the
general conference with its priesthood session, we will be no
less loving or direct with the brethren, for our counsel will be
similar."
|p5 I now want to make good on that promise to the sisters as I
speak to you brethren.
|p6 We have all been blessed with special women in our
lives--women who have had a deep and lasting influence upon us.
Their contribution has been and is most important to us and is
something which will be of everlasting value to us.
|p7 Our wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends are all
the spirit children of our Heavenly Father. I hope we will
always bear that in mind, my brothers, in terms of how we treat
women. The sisters in this dispensation include many of the most
noble daughters of our Heavenly Father. Let us always remember
|P49|p1 that God is no respecter of persons, but he loves us
all, men and women, boys and girls, with a perfect love.
|p2 As President Harold B. Lee frequently said, "The greatest
Church work you will ever do is within the walls of your own
home" (see Strengthening the Home, pamphlet, 1973, p. 7). Many
of us have repeated that many times.
|p3 Much of this special Church work will be judged by the way
in which we serve and lead, in a Christlike manner, the women of
the Church who are in our homes. I say serve and lead because
the headship of the man in the home is to be like the headship
of Christ in the Church. Christ led by love, example, and
selfless service. He sacrificed himself for us. So it must be if
we are leader-servants and humble patriarchs in our homes.
|p4 We must be selfless and give service, be thoughtful and
generous. Our dominion must be a righteous dominion, and our
partnerships with our eternal companions, our wives, must be
full partnerships.
|p5 You wonderful stake presidents and bishops and your
counselors and all of you brethren--please be especially
thoughtful of the sisters who are, through no fault of their
own, not presently given the blessing of being sealed for all
eternity to a worthy man, so they do not inadvertently feel left
out as we rightfully focus on family life. Do not regard their
presence in your midst as a burden but as a blessing.
|p6 Ever bear in mind our special responsibilities to the
widows, those who are divorced, others who are husbandless, and,
in some cases, our young sisters who are fatherless. We simply
cannot fulfill our responsibilities as men of God if we neglect
the women of God.
|p7 Sometimes we hear disturbing reports about how sisters are
treated. Perhaps when this happens, it is a result of
insensitivity and thoughtlessness, but it should not be,
brethren. The women of this Church have work to do which, though
different, is equally as important as the work that we do. Their
work is, in fact, the same basic work that we are asked to
do--even though our roles and assignments differ.
|p8 It is because we prize our women so greatly that we do not
wish to have them drawn away into worldly paths. Most of them
are strong and good and true, and they will be the more so when
they are treated with love and respect and when their thoughts
and feelings are valued and understood.
|p9 Our sisters do not wish to be indulged or to be treated
condescendingly; they desire to be respected and revered as our
sisters and our equals. I mention all these things, my brethren,
not because the doctrines or the teachings of the Church
regarding women are in any doubt, but because in some situations
our behavior is of doubtful quality. These things are not
mentioned because of any sense of alarm, but because of a
general concern that our people in the kingdom will need to
become even more different from the people of the world. We will
be judged, as the Savior said on several occasions, by whether
or not we love one another and treat one another accordingly and
by whether or not we are of one heart and one mind. We cannot be
the Lord's if we are not one!
|p10 We shall all be judged and held accountable for how we
carry out our various Church assignments, and our mortal
stewardship will get no more searching scrutiny than with regard
to the way we have served and loved our families and our sisters
and brothers of the Church. President McKay wisely observed, "No
other success can compensate for failure in the home" (in
Conference Report, Apr. 1964, p. 5).
|p11 We love you brethren, and we love the sisters. We have
complete confidence in you. We rejoice in your faith and your
devotion to the cause of the Master. May God bless you and your
dear ones as you return to them.
|p12 I know that God lives, my brethren (it is a great joy to
say that many, many times), that Christ, the Redeemer of the
world, is our Lord, and that this is his Church, The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Christ at its head. I
leave this testimony with you, with my affection and my
blessings and my best wishes, in the name of Jesus Christ, our
Lord, amen.
October 7, 1979 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
"Give Me This Mountain"
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Beloved brothers and sisters, is there anyone who doesn't
know Brother LeGrand Richards, who has just spoken? Is there
anyone who doesn't know the great missionary he has been? When I
was a member of the stake presidency in Arizona, Brother
Richards came to our stake; and after all the thousands of good
things he had to give us, I remember so very well that he and I
both went down to Miami, Arizona, to conclude our conferences,
and we sat there and talked about the gospel most of the
evening. I don't know whether he will remember that or not, but
it was very impressive to me. The First Presidency recently went
with some of the General Authorities down to an area conference
in New Mexico and we got caught with a plane breakdown. They had
to send back to Denver to get some parts. While the rest of us
were sitting around waiting, Brother Richards started talking to
the pilot and the stewardess, and he taught them the gospel.
That's the kind of missionary he is.
|p2 I think he mentioned 28,000 missionaries, and I think we now
have 29,000 plus. Anyway, we are very, very grateful to Brother
Richards and all the other Brethren who have been as faithful as
he explained to us in his sermon.
|p3 It's been a wonderful conference! It has been good for all
of us to be here. I've been grateful for the remarks of the
Brethren who have spoken. The Lord has answered their prayers
for divine help in the preparation and delivery of their
sermons.
|p4 I express appreciation to all of you who have traveled so
far to come here, some of you at great sacrifice and
inconvenience. We are grateful for your devotion and ask the
Lord to bless you with a capacity to be touched in your hearts
by the messages you have heard, long after we have sung the
songs and long after we have said our last amen. We realize so
much depends on what you as leaders do as you return to your
homes to work again with those in your stakes and wards and
individual homes.
|p5 I should like to refer to the great story of the exodus of
the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land. In that
story there is an account of one special man that moves and
motivates and inspires me. His name was Caleb.
|p6 Shortly after Moses led Israel out of bondage from Egypt, he
sent twelve men to search out the promised |P79|p1 land and to
bring back word about living conditions there. Caleb and Joshua
were among the group. After spending forty days on their
mission, the twelve men returned. They brought back figs and
pomegranates and a cluster of grapes so large it took two men to
carry it between them on a pole.
|p2 The majority of the search party gave a very discouraging
report on the promised land and its inhabitants. Although they
found a land that was beautiful and desirable and flowing with
milk and honey, they also found that the cities were walled and
formidable and that the people, the "sons of Anak," looked like
giants. The Israelite scouts said that they felt like
grasshoppers in comparison. Caleb, however, saw things a little
differently, with what the Lord called "another spirit," and his
account of the journey and their challenges was quite different.
He said, "Let us go up at once, and possess [their land]; for we
are well able to overcome it" (Num. 13:30).
|p3 Joshua and Caleb were men of great faith, and they joined in
urging that the Israelites go immediately, to the promised land,
saying:
|p4 "If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this
land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
|p5 "Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the
people of the land; for . . . the Lord is with us: fear them
not" (Num. 14:8-9).
|p6 But the faint-hearted Israelites, remembering the security
of their Egyptian slavery and lacking faith in God, rejected
Caleb and Joshua and sought even to stone them to death.
|p7 Because of their lack of faith, the children of Israel were
required to spend the next forty years wandering about and
eating the dust of the desert, when they might have feasted on
milk and honey.
|p8 The Lord decreed that before Israel could enter the land of
Canaan, all of the faithless generation who had been freed from
bondage must pass away--all go into eternity--all except Joshua
and Caleb. For their faith, they were promised that they and
their children would live to inhabit the promised land.
|p9 Forty-five years after the twelve men returned from their
exploration of the land of promise, when the new generation of
Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, was completing its
conquest of Canaan, Caleb spoke to Joshua:
|p10 "Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord
sent me . . . to espy out the land; and I brought him word again
as it was in mine heart.
|p11 "Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the
heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.
|p12 "And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said,
these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word
unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the
wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years
old.
|p13 "As yet I am as strong this day as I as in the day that
Moses sent me [a least in the spirit of the gospel and its call
and needs]: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now,
. . . both to go out, and to come in" (Josh. 14:7-8, 10 11).
|p14 From Caleb's example we learn very important lessons. Just
as Caleb had to struggle and remain true and faithful to gain
his inheritance, so we must remember that, while the Lord has
promised us a place in his kingdom, we must ever strive
constantly and faithfully so as to be worthy to receive the
reward.
|p15 Caleb concluded his moving declaration with a request and a
challenge with which my heart finds full sympathy. The Anakims,
the giants, were still inhabiting the promised land, and they
had to be overcome. Said Caleb, now at 85 years, "Give me this
mountain" (Joshua 14:12).
|p16 This is my feeling for the work at this moment. There are
great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I
welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord,
humbly, "Give me this mountain," give me these challenges.
|p17 Humbly, I give this pledge to the Lord and to you, my
beloved brothers and sisters, fellow workers in this sacred
cause of Christ: I will go forward, with faith in the God of
Israel knowing that he will guide and direct us, and lead us,
finally, to the accomplishment of his purposes and to our
promised land and our promised blessings.
|p18 "And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the
plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke
9:62).
|p19 I will "wholly follow the Lord my God" to the fullest
extent of my energy and my ability.
|p20 Earnestly and fervently I urge that each of you make this
same pledge and effort--every priesthood leader, every woman in
Israel, each young man, each young woman, every boy and girl.
|p21 My brethren and sisters, I testify to you that this is the
Lord's work and that it is true. We are on the Lord's errand.
This is his church and he is its head and the chief cornerstone.
I leave you this testimony, in all sincerity, with my love and
blessing, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
April 5, 1980 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
"No Unhallowed Hand Can Stop the Work"
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, I am grateful, as always,
just to be with you and to be near you. These last six months I
have felt your love and support and prayers, time and time
again, and wish to thank you most sincerely for them.
|p2 General conference is always a glorious event. But this
conference is even more special because we celebrate the
Sesquicentennial of the organization of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. The history of the Church is
essentially the history of its individual members. One of the
best ways to celebrate righteous history is to make more of it,
make more righteous history! In this connection, you will recall
that a year ago you were called upon to stretch yourselves in
further service. Included in the counsel given then was the
suggestion that each active member or family bring an individual
or a family into the Church by the time the April 1980
conference arrived. That conference is now here. Did we do it?
Or are some of us still being "neighbors as usual," not yet
fully sharing the gospel with our friends and neighbors?
|p3 As we speak of sharing the gospel, let me say that the First
Presidency has just been advised by the Church Missionary
Committee that as of last week we had 30,004 full-time
missionaries. That is the largest number of missionaries ever in
the history of the Church. What a glorious work they are
performing and what blessings they bring into the lives of our
Father's other children throughout the world who hearken to
their message of joy and peace and salvation.
|p4 Brethren and sisters, there are more young men who can and
should serve in the mission field. Presently they represent 79
percent of our total missionary force. We have not yet reached
our potential. The young sisters serving represent 13 percent of
the total. Eight percent of the total missionary force is
represented by older couples. What a blessing their maturity and
experience are wherever they serve. With the divine commission
we have to share the gospel with the entire world, we do indeed
need many more missionaries. Remember that "the field is white
already to harvest" (D&C 4:4).
|p5 You will recall, also, our saying last year in general
conference and in seminars for the Regional Representatives that
some further program adjustments were coming. We said at that
time: "We see ourselves as positioning our people so that the
Latter-day Saints can give greater attention to family life, can
focus more on certain simple and basic things, can render more
Christian service, and can have greater effectiveness in all
these things--through the process of simplification, scheduling,
proper priorities, and by honoring the priesthood line"
(Regional Representatives' seminar, 5. Oct. 1979; see also
ENSIGN, Nov. 1979, p. 100).
|p6 Those adjustments, as you have recently learned, now have
been made. We are confident that as a result we will indeed see
an upsurge in quality family life, in Christian service, and in
attendance at Church meetings.
|p7 We hope, for instance, that either before or after your
series of Sunday meetings, depending upon your particular
consolidated meeting schedule, you will do what the Savior asked
the Nephite disciples to do: After he taught them, he asked them
to go to their homes and to ponder and to pray over what was
said (see 3 Ne. 17:3). Let us keep that pattern in mind.
|p8 We also said last year that we have paused on some plateaus
long enough, and then we gave an emphasis to councils--family
councils, ward and stake councils, and on through to area and
Churchwide councils.
|p9 If you continue to observe carefully, you will see how all
these developments are pointing us in one direction. As a
people, we are being positioned to do more perfectly that which
the Lord has given us to do.
|p10 May we suggest that, in our desire to enrich family life in
the Church and to provide more time for Christian service, we
make sure we do not overlook the tens of thousands of single
Latter-day Saints who do not live in a traditional Latter-day
Saint family setting. Please do not neglect these wonderful
brothers and sisters.
|p11 A year ago it was also observed that "our success . . .
will largely be determined by how faithfully we focus on living
the gospel in the home" (Spencer W. Kimball, ENSIGN, May 1979,
p. 83). That is surely true and, in like manner, we will be
spiritually successful to the |P5|p1 degree that we are good
neighbors and good friends to those in the household of faith
and to our non-member friends.
|p2 With the announcement just made of the construction of seven
new temples, there begins the most intensive period of temple
building in the history of the Church.
|p3 The building of these temples must be accompanied by a
strong emphasis on genealogical research on the part of all
members of the Church.
|p4 We feel an urgency for this great work to be accomplished
and encourage members to accept this responsibility. Members do
so by writing their personal and family histories, participating
in the name extraction program when called to do so, completing
their four-generation research, and then continuing their family
research in order to redeem their kindred dead.
|p5 To assist and give encouragement to this important work, the
Genealogical Department, under the direction of the First
Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, has organized another
World Conference on Records to be held in Salt Lake City in
August of this sesquicentennial year. Experts in family history
from thirty countries will present four days of seminars to an
audience of participants from around the world. We encourage all
who can to attend.
|p6 Brothers and sisters, we rejoice in the fifteen decades of
progress of the Church. We want to keep faith with that small
but noble band of souls who assembled in the Peter Whitmer home
150 years ago for the purpose of formally organizing the Church.
We can keep faith, in part, by helping the Church to grow in
numbers and also in spirituality. We |P6|p1 can count our
growing membership. We can count the increasing numbers of
stakes. These numbers thrill us, as they indicate the progress
we are making and remind us, likewise, that we must achieve in
even more major ways in the years ahead.
|p2 We can also tell that we are making progress by the
attention we get from the adverse Do not falter nor be
distressed when others misrepresent us, sometimes deliberately
and sometimes in ignorance. This has been the lot of the Lord's
people from the beginning, and it will be no different in our
time.
|p3 Brothers and sisters, pray for the critics of the Church;
love your enemies. beep the faith and stay on the straight and
narrow path. Use wisdom and judgment in what you say and do, so
that we do not give cause to others to hold the Church or its
people in disrepute. Do not be surprised or dismayed if trials
and challenged come upon us. This work, which Satan seeks in
vain to tear down, is that which God has placed on earth to lift
mankind up!
|p4 I have lived for more than half the 150 years the restored
Church has been upon the earth in this last dispensation. I have
witnessed its marvelous growth until it now is established in
the four corners of the earth. As the Prophet Joseph said:
|p5 "Our missionaries are going forth to different nations, and
in Germany, Palestine, New Holland, Australia, the East Indies,
and other places, the Standard of Truth has been erected; no
unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions
may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may
defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and
independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited
every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till
the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah
shall say the work is done" (History of the Church 4:540)
|p6 Let us, then, press on confidently in the work of the Lord
as we look forward to the glorious years of promise ahead.
Through our faithfulness, all that God has promised will be
fulfilled. This is the work of the Lord. The gospel is true.
Jesus is the Christ and our Redeemer. May the Lord bless us all
as we begin this great sesquicentennial conference of his
church, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 6, 1980 General Conference from Fayette New York
President Spencer W. Kimball
Introduction to the Proclamation
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My dear brothers and sisters, it is a deeply moving and
wonderful experience to stand here today where the Prophet
Joseph Smith stood 150 years ago. We came here last night by jet
airplane from Salt Lake City. We made the trip in a matter of a
half-dozen hours, flying eastward over the broad expanse of this
beautiful land where long ago our forebears painfully traveled
westward in search of a place where they could be free of
persecution and could worship God according to the dictates of
their own conscience.
|p2 We are here, this lovely Easter morning, in the
reconstructed farmhouse of Peter Whitmer, Sr. It has been
faithfully restored for this occasion to bring to us anew the
recollection of the all-important and significant event which
occurred here a century and a half ago. In the years to come, it
will be visited by good people from over the earth who will wish
to stand where I stand today.
|p3 In this very location on April 6, 1830, there assembled a
small group to formally organize The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. They were believers in the testimony of the
Prophet Joseph Smith that in a grove of trees not many miles
from here, on a spring day in the year 1820, he beheld in vision
God the Eternal Father and his Son, the resurrected Lord, Jesus
Christ. There followed in the intervening years visitations of
other resurrected heavenly beings. From the soil of Cumorah's
Hill, a few miles to the west of here, Joseph obtained from the
angel Moroni the records of a people who anciently inhabited
this land; and, through the gift and power of God, he translated
that record, now known as the Book of Mormon. A substantial part
of that work of translation was accomplished in this Whitmer
home.
|p4 On that historic Tuesday of April 6, 1830, one and a half
centuries ago, six men from those assembled in this house
organized the Church as a religious society. Three of the
descendants of those men are here with us today--Sister Lorena
Horner Normandeau, a great-granddaughter of Joseph Smith; Eldred
G. Smith, a second great-grandson of Hyrum Smith; and Melvin
Thomas Smith, a great-grandson of Samuel Harrison Smith.
|p5 Standing here today we review in our minds the mighty faith
and works of those who, from this humble beginning, gave so much
to help move the Church to its present wondrous stature; and
more importantly, we behold through the eye of faith a vision of
its sure and glorious future.
|p6 Now, my brothers and sisters, with the future before us, and
sensing deeply, the responsibilities and divine mission of the
restored Church on this sacred occasion, the First Presidency
and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declare to the world a
proclamation, We have felt it appropriate to issue this
statement from here, where the Church began. Accordingly, I
shall ask Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles, to speak in my behalf and in behalf of my brethren, to
read this proclamation to you and to the world.
|s150a_Proclamation|P52|p0
Proclamation
From the First Presidency
and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
April 6, 1980
|p1 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was
organized 150 years ago today. On this sesquicentennial
anniversary we issue to the world a proclamation concerning its
progress, its doctrine, its mission, and its message.
|p2 On April 6, 1830, a small group assembled in the farmhouse
of Peter Whitmer in Fayette Township in the state of New York.
Six men participated in the formal organization procedures, with
Joseph Smith as their leader. From that modest beginning in a
rural area, this work has grown consistently and broadly, as men
and women in many lands have embraced the doctrine and entered
the waters of baptism. There are now almost four and a half
million living members, and the Church is stronger and growing
more rapidly than at any time in its history. Congregations of
Latter-day Saints are found throughout North, Central, and South
America; in the nations of Europe; in Asia; in Africa; in
Australia and the islands of the South Pacific; and in other
areas of the world. The gospel restored through the
instrumentality of Joseph Smith is presently taught in forty-six
languages and in eighty-one nations. From that small meeting
held in a farmhouse a century and a half ago, the Church has
grown until today it includes nearly twelve thousand organized
congregations.
|p3 We testify that this restored gospel was introduced into the
world by the marvelous appearance of God the Eternal Father and
his Son, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. That most glorious
manifestation marked the beginning of the fulfillment of the
promise of Peter, who prophesied of "the times of restitution of
all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy
prophets since the world began," this in preparation for the
coming of the Lord to reign personally upon the earth (Acts
3:21).
|p4 We solemnly affirm that The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is in fact a restoration of the Church
established by the Son of God, when in mortality he organized
his work upon the earth; that it carries his sacred name, even
the name of Jesus Christ; that it is built upon a foundation of
Apostles and prophets, he being the chief cornerstone; that its
priesthood, in both the Aaronic and Melchizedek orders, was
restored under the hands of those who held it anciently: John
the Baptist, in the case of the Aaronic; and Peter, James, and
John in the case of the Melchizedek.
|p5 We declare that the Book of Mormon was brought forth by the
gift and power of God and that it stands beside the Bible as
another witness of Jesus the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of
mankind. Together they testify of his divine sonship.
|p6 We give our witness that the doctrines and practices of the
Church encompass salvation and exaltation not only for those who
are living, but also for the dead, and that in sacred temples
built for this purpose a great vicarious work is going forward
in behalf of those who have died, so that all men and women of
all generations may become the beneficiaries of the saving
ordinances of the gospel of the Master. This great, selfless
labor is one of the distinguishing features of this restored
Church of Jesus Christ.
|p7 We affirm the sanctity of the family as a divine creation
and declare that God our Eternal Father will hold parents
accountable to rear their children in light and truth, teaching
them "to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord" (D&C
68:28). We teach that the most sacred of all relationships,
those family associations of husbands and wives and parents and
children, may be continued eternally when marriage is solemnized
under the authority of the holy priesthood exercised in temples
dedicated for these divinely authorized purposes.
|p8 We bear witness that all men and women are sons and
daughters of God, each accountable to him; that our lives here
on earth are part of an eternal plan; that death is not the end,
but rather a transition from this to another sphere of
purposeful activity made possible through the Atonement of the
Redeemer of the world; and that we shall there have the
opportunity of working and growing toward perfection.
|p9 We testify that the spirit of prophecy and revelation is
among us. "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He
does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many
great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God"
(Articles of Faith 1:9). The heavens are not sealed; God
continues to speak to his children through a prophet empowered
to declare his word, now as he did anciently.
|p10 The mission of the Church today, as it has been from the
beginning, is to teach the gospel of Christ to all the world in
obedience to the commandment given by the Savior prior to his
ascension and repeated in modern revelation: "Go ye into all the
world, preach the gospel to every creature, acting in the
authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (D&C 68:8).
|p11 Through the Prophet Joseph Smith the Lord revealed these
words of solemn warning: "Hearken ye people from afar; and ye
that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together.
|P53|p1 "For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and
there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see,
neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be
penetrated.
|p2 "And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for
their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their
secret acts shall be revealed.
|p3 "And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the
mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days"
(D&C 1:1-4).
|p4 It is our obligation, therefore, to teach faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, to plead with the people of the earth for
individual repentance, to administer the sacred ordinances of
baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on
of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost--all of this under the
authority of the priesthood of God.
|p5 It is our responsibility to espouse and follow an inspired
program of instruction and activity, and to build and maintain
appropriate facilities for the accomplishment of this, that all
who will hear and accept may grow in understanding of doctrine
and develop in principles of Christian service to their
fellowmen.
|p6 As we stand today on the summit of 150 years of progress, we
contemplate humbly and gratefully the sacrifices of those who
have gone before us, many of whom gave their lives in testimony
of this truth. We are thankful for their faith, for their
example, for their mighty labors and willing consecrations for
this cause which they considered more precious than life itself.
They have passed to us a remarkable heritage. We are resolved to
build on that heritage for the blessing arid benefit of those
who follow, who will constitute ever enlarging numbers of
faithful men and women throughout the earth.
|p7 This is God's work. It is his kingdom we are building
Anciently the prophet Daniel spoke of it as a stone cut out of
the mountain without hands, which was to roll forth to fill the
whole earth (see Dan. 2:31-45). We invite the honest in heart
everywhere to listen to the teachings of our missionaries who
are sent forth as messengers of eternal truth, to study and
learn, and to ask God, our Eternal Father, in the name of his
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, if these things are true.
|p8 "And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent,
having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto
you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
|p9 "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of
all things" (Moro. 10:4-5).
|p10 We call upon all men and women to forsake evil and turn to
God; to work together to build that brotherhood which must be
recognized when we truly come to know that God is our Father and
we are his children; and to worship him and his Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind. In the authority of the
Holy Priesthood in us vested, we bless the seekers of truth
wherever they may be and invoke the favor of the Almighty upon
all men and nations whose God is the Lord, in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
|s150a_Kimball_Spencer|P54|p0
Remarks and Dedication of the Fayette, New York,
Buildings
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, I am grateful for this
opportunity. It was a thrilling experience to speak to you a few
minutes ago from the Peter Whitmer farm home where the Church
was organized. It is now an inspiring experience to be in this
lovely chapel in Fayette, Seneca County, New York, because it
represents something of the marvelous progress made by the
Church during the 150 years of its history.
|p2 My brothers and sisters, today we not only celebrate the
Sesquicentennial of the organization of the Church, but also the
greatest event in human history since the birth of Christ on
this day 1,980 years ago. Today is Easter Sunday.
|p3 Immediately following the semiannual conference last
October, Sister Kimball and I accompanied President and Sister
N. Eldon Tanner and others to the Holy Land for the dedication
of the Orson Hyde Memorial Gardens on the Mount of Olives in
Jerusalem. During the few days we were there, we retraced the
footsteps of Jesus.
|p4 We saw Bethlehem and Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, and the
River Jordan. We visited the Mount of Transfiguration and
Jacob's Well, the Garden of Gethsemane and Golgotha. We sat and
meditated in the empty tomb. And then we walked out of the tomb
into the sunlit garden where early in the morning the angels
spoke to the two Marys and said, "Why seek ye the living among
the dead? He is not here, but is risen" (Luke 24:5-6).
|p5 That is my witness to all within the sound of my voice. He
is risen! He lived. He died. He was resurrected--the Son of God,
who opened the door of immortality to all men and the blessings
of eternal life to those who live his commandments. Of his
reality and divinity, I add my solemn testimony this beautiful
Easter Sabbath.
|p6 In the proclamation just read by Elder Gordon B. Hinckley,
we have reviewed briefly the events of the coming forth of the
Church as a restoration of the original church established by
the Savior himself when he was upon the earth. We have borne
witness to the world of the miraculous and wonderful events
which preceded that restoration, and also we have spoken of the
remarkable progress of the work in the years that have followed.
For 85 of those 150 years, I have been a living witness of this
progress.
|p7 Knowing full well that before long, in the natural course of
events, I must stand before the Lord and give an accounting of
my words, I now add my personal and solemn testimony that God,
the Eternal, Father, and the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, appeared
to the boy Joseph Smith. I testify that the Book of Mormon is a
translation of an ancient record of nations who once lived in
this western hemisphere, where they prospered and became mighty
when they kept the commandments of God, but who were largely
destroyed through terrible civil wars when they forgot God. This
book bears testimony of the living reality of the Lord Jesus
Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of mankind.
|p8 I testify that the holy priesthood, both Aaronic and
Melchizedek, with authority to act in the name of God, was
restored to the earth by John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and
John; that other keys and authority were subsequently restored;
and that the power and authority of those various divine
bestowals are among us today. Of these things I bear solemn
witness to all within the sound of my voice. I promise in the
name of the Lord that all who give heed to our message, and
accept and live the gospel, will grow in faith and
understanding. They will have an added measure of peace in their
lives and in their homes and by the power of the Holy Ghost will
speak similar words of testimony and truth. I do this and leave
my blessing upon you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
|p9 I now invite you to join me in a prayer of dedication:
|p10 Dedicatory Prayer
|p11 Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. On this
anniversary day, we are met where The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints was organized under revelation from thee 150
years ago. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for thy
marvelous blessings, so generously bestowed. As we review the
past, we are subdued in contemplating the works of those who
have gone before us, and particularly the Prophet Joseph Smith
and his brother Hyrum who, with their life's blood, sealed their
testimonies of the sacred things which occurred in this area.
|p12 We are grateful for all who have |P59|p1 labored with faith
in the nations of the earth to bring the Church to its present
stature. Standing today at this milestone of history, we look
with assurance to the future. We know that with thy direction
thy work will roll on for the blessing of thy children of all
generations and throughout the earth; and that where there are
now hundreds there will be thousands; and that, whereas thy work
is established today in many nations, it must and will roll
forth over the whole earth until men everywhere shall bow the
knee and give homage to thee and thy Son.
|p2 We plead with thee, our Father, that thou wilt touch the
hearts of the rulers of nations that they will open their doors
to thy servants until truth shall cover the earth as the waters
cover the mighty deep.
|p3 Today, dear Father, in the authority of the holy priesthood,
which thou hast given us, we dedicate these structures which
stand on the farm of Peter Whitmer, Sr.: the restored log
farmhouse, with its furnishings, as a reminder of the humble
beginnings from which thy mighty work has grown; the later
Whitmer home, as a place of residence for thy servants who will
labor here as missionaries among the many strangers who will be
attracted to this place of history; and this beautiful chapel
and visitors center, in which we meet today, that it may be a
place of sacred worship, a place of instruction, a sanctuary
from the world, and a place of hospitality to the scores of
thousands who will come here as visitors. May thy Holy Spirit
abide here. May thy protecting power be made manifest in the
preservation of these important scenes of history. May knowledge
of thee increase and testimony of thy divine Son strengthen in
the hearts of the many who will come with interest and depart
with added faith and knowledge.
|p4 Father in Heaven, on this day of dedication we pray for thy
servants and thy people everywhere throughout the earth. Bless
those who walk in righteousness, and let thy Holy Spirit be with
them. Strengthen within the heart of each a renewed sense of
dedication to thee and thy everlasting truth.
|p5 We love thee, our Father. We love thy holy Son. We give our
witness to the world concerning him and thee, and ask that thou
wilt accept of our thanks, our labors, and our love, in the name
of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 6, 1980 General Conference (from New York)
President Spencer W. Kimball
"Let Us Not Weary in Well Doing"
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 This has been a glorious conference, my brothers and
sisters! I have felt close to those of you in the Tabernacle,
even though we are separated by a whole continent.
|p2 This great sesquicentennial conference has brought us all
close to the beginnings of this dispensation. We have been
refreshed because of those reminders. But even as we speak of
beginnings, events in the world remind us that we are moving
ever closer to the ending of this dispensation. So, for me, this
conference has been filled with memories and also with
anticipation--feelings which have combined to make me more
grateful than ever for the privilege of being a part of this
great latter-day work.
|p3 Viewed in perspective, 150 years isn't really a very long
time, even in human history. It is but a brief moment in
eternity. You and I know that, actually, individuals and
institutions are measured by deeds, not days; by service, not
centuries. Just as an individual's life can often make up in
quality what it lacks in length of years, so The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints has compressed into 150 years many
significant accomplishments. We don't have to be old to be
great.
|p4 We have now had twelve Presidents of the Church. I wish to
express my deep and heartfelt appreciation for each and all of
the eleven Presidents who have preceded me and for all that they
and their associates and the general membership of the Church
were able to achieve, often in the face of seemingly
insurmountable obstacles.
|p5 One cannot study the history of the Church without being
impressed with how steadfast the majority of the Saints have
always been in the midst of difficulty. I sense that same
steadfastness in the Church today. Our members know their lord.
They know his leaders. They know their Master's voice and follow
it. They do not follow strange voices nor the spurious
enticements of strangers.
|p6 We have been entrusted with a special message for all the
world. We must ever be conscious of that trust and ever be on
the alert. There is a tide to be taken now in the affairs of the
Church in all the earth which will lift us up and carry us
forward as never before. Let us then not weary in well doing.
|P81|p1 Now, my brothers and sisters, as we move into the last
half of the Church's second century, let us keep our faith
beautifully simple. May we, as Paul said, be "wise unto that
which is good, and simple concerning evil" (Rom. 16:19). Learn
to recognize evil, and shun it always. May we keep Church
programs and organizations simple. If we do, we will build to a
thrilling and rewarding momentum in the days and months and
years ahead. The Savior urged his followers to be "wise as
serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matt. 10:16). Let us follow
that counsel today. Let us so live that if people speak
critically of us they must do so falsely and without
justification.
|p2 Let us hold fast to the iron rod. The Savior urged us to put
our hand to the plow without looking back. In that spirit we are
being asked to have humility and a deep and abiding faith in the
lord and to move forward--trusting in him, refusing to be
diverted from our course, either by the ways of the world or the
praise of the world. I see that quality of readiness and
devotion in our people today. There is so much yet to be done!
let us, then, move forward; let us continue the journey with
lengthened stride. The Lord will lead us along, and he will be
in our midst and not forsake us.
|p3 I know with all my soul that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
that he died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead. He
is the risen Lord, the Great Presiding High Priest, and he
stands at the head of the Church. Of this I testify this
beautiful Easter Sunday, on this great anniversary of the
restoration and organization of the Church on this very spot 150
years ago. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
April 5, 1980 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
A Deep Commitment to the Principles of Welfare
Services
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, I have enjoyed this meeting
very much, and I endorse all that has been presented by the
various speakers.
|p2 I express deep appreciation to each of you for what you are
doing in this wonderful welfare work. We are grateful for the
progress that has been made. Notwithstanding there is much
service yet to be given, I feel the Lord is pleased with the
service that has been rendered by the Saints.
|p3 I sense a deep commitment on the part of our leaders to
apply in the wards and stakes the principles of welfare service
we have heard preached from this pulpit for many years. Surely
there never has been a time when we needed to be more anxiously
engaged in such an important cause.
|p4 I am pleased with the reports we receive regarding family
gardens. I hope all of you plan to put in your garden whenever
spring comes in your area, and that where possible you are
canning and preserving food. I note, too, the increased emphasis
on procuring welfare projects, as well as improving the ones we
already have.
|p5 Nearly every family in the Church is feeling the effects of
worldwide inflation in one way or another. May I remind all of
us that if we will live the gospel and follow the counsel of the
leaders of the Church, we will be blessed to avoid many of the
problems that plague the world. The Lord knows the challenges we
face. If we keep his commandments, we will be entitled to the
wisdom and blessings of heaven in solving them.
|p6 Brothers and sisters, I know the gospel is true. It contains
the answers to all of life's questions and to all of life's
problems. May the Lord bless us all in this great welfare
program, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
October 4, 1980 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Families Can Be Eternal
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My dear brothers and sisters, I am happy to greet you at
this opening session of our 150th semiannual world conference of
the Church.
|p2 From the beginning, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints has emphasized family life. We have always understood
that the foundations of the family, as an eternal unit, were
laid even before this earth was created! Society without basic
fly life is without foundation and will disintegrate into
nothingness.
|p3 Therefore, whenever anything so basic as the eternal family
is imperiled, we have a solemn obligation to sped out, lest
there be critical damage to the family institution by those who
seem to be deliberately destructive of it.
|p4 The commandments and standards of morality set by the Lord
himself are under attack on every hand. There are false teachers
everywhere using speech and pornographic literature, magazines,
radio, TV, street talk--spreading heresies which break down
moral standards.
|p5 Because of the seriousness of this matter, I have prepared
an article for the November 1980 Ensign and New Era magazines in
which I speak out frankly and at length on the subject of
morality. This is a grave responsibility, and not an easy one. I
encourage all Latter-day Saints to read this special message.
|p6 We are living in perilous times as more and more individuals
dishonor the marriage vow and as juvenile delinquency mounts.
Divorces in the United States are up over 65 percent since 1970.
The number of unmarried couples living together has gone up over
157 percent during the past decade. Many more children are
growing up without having both parents in the home. In 1979,
almost one of every five families with children was being
maintained by one parent.
|p7 Abortion has reached plague proportions. There have been,
for instance, more deaths from abortion in England in the decade
since the English Abortion Act than there were deaths in the
First World War." Of this, Malcolm Muggeridge said:
|p8 "I was brought up to believe that one of the great troubles
of our Western world was that in the First World War we lost the
flower of our population. Well, now we have destroyed an
equivalent number of lives in the name of humane principles,
before they were even born." (Human Life Review, Summer 1980, p.
74.)
|p9 Furthermore, many of the social restraints which in the past
have helped to reinforce and to shore up the family are
dissolving and disappearing. The time will come when only those
who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to
preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil
around us.
|p10 Whether from inadvertence, ignorance, or other causes, the
efforts governments often make (ostensibly to help the family)
sometimes only hurt the family more. There are those who would
define the family in such a nontraditional way that they would
define it out of existence. The more governments try in vain to
take the place of the family, the less effective governments
will be in performing the traditional and basic roles for which
governments are formed in the first place.
|p11 Whether we like it or not, so many of the difficulties
which beset the family today stem from the breaking of the
seventh commandment (see Ex. 20:14). Total chastity before
marriage and total fidelity after are still the standard from
which there can be no deviation without sin, misery, and
unhappiness. The breaking of the seventh commandment usually
means the breaking of one or more homes.
|p12 Delinquent adults still tend to produce delinquent
children, and that awful reality will not change simply by our
lowering standards as to what constitutes delinquency--either in
adults, youth, or children.
|p13 We of all people, brothers and sisters, should not be taken
in by the specious arguments that the family unit is somehow
tied to a particular phase of development a mortal society is
going through. We are free to resist those moves which downplay
the significance of the family and which play up the
significance of selfish individualism. We know the family to be
eternal. We know that when things go wrong in the family, things
go wrong in every other institution in society.
|p14 Those who, whether in ignorance or malice, attack the
family are setting in motion an awful and needless cycle of
misery and despair, for they will search in vain and pain for
|P5|p1 substitutes, and the wisdom of the worldly wise shall
perish publicly for their folly concerning the family.
|p2 The decline in many of our families is occurring at a time
when the nations of the world are moving into some of the most
difficult times known.
|p3 Permissiveness will not pull us through such crises.
Materialism will not sustain us, for moth and rust will still
lay waste and corrupt all mortal treasures.
|p4 Our political institutions--parliaments, congresses, and
assemblies--cannot rescue us if our basic institution, the
family, is not intact. Peace treaties cannot save us when there
is hostility instead of love in the home. Unemployment programs
cannot rescue us when many are no longer taught how to work or
do not have the opportunity to work or the inclination, in some
cases, to do so. Law enforcement cannot safeguard us if too many
people are unwilling to discipline themselves or be disciplined.
|p5 Rising generations who have been taught that authority and
loving discipline are wrong will not keep the fifth commandment,
honoring their fathers and mothers (see Ex. 20:12). How can the
rising generations honor their parents if their parents have
dishonored themselves--especially by breaking the seventh
commandment?
|p6 Almost every array of statistics one sees with regard to the
family becomes a sad sermon in statistics, reminding us of the
need to stem and to turn the tide.
|p7 Let us be sure, in our Latter-day Saint homes, that we do
our part to stem and to turn the tide.
|p8 Again, I urge you to be diligent in recording your personal
and family histories. We are pleased with the success of the
recent World Conference on Records, where more than eleven
thousand people from over thirty nations around the globe
gathered to share and learn concerning personal record keeping.
In this, let us be an example to others and reap the benefits of
stronger family units as we preserve our heritage.
|p9 We hope our parents are using the added time that has come
from the consolidated schedule in order to be with, teach, love,
and nurture their children. We hope you have not forgotten the
need for family activity and recreation, for which time is also
provided. Let your love of each member of your family be
unconditional. Where there are challenges, you fail only if you
fail to keep trying!
|p10 We genuinely welcome help, real help, from churches,
schools, colleges, and universities, from thoughtful men and
women of every race, creed, and culture who care about the
family. But, as indicated earlier, if the supporting network of
institutions does not function adequately, then we will do our
part anyway. There is no lack of clarity in what the Lord has
told us. We cannot shirk. He has placed the responsibility
directly where it belongs, and he holds us accountable with
regard to the duties of parents to teach their children correct
principles and of the need to walk uprightly before the
Lord--and there is no substitute for teaching our children by
the eloquence of example.
|p11 Oh, brothers and sisters, families can be forever! Do not
let the lures of the moment draw you away from them! Divinity,
eternity, and family--they go together, hand in hand, and so
must we!
|p12 I bear you my solemn witness that God lives, that Jesus
Christ lives, and that he is our Savior and Redeemer. I leave
you my love and my blessings, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
October 4, 1980 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Ministering to the Needs of Members
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My dear brethren, it is always a great joy for me to have
the privilege of meeting with you in general priesthood meeting.
We are gathered here in the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt
Lake City and in more than 2,000 other places around the world.
Just think of the mighty and sacred power that is represented by
this assemblage of men and boys. I rejoice with you, my
brethren, in the manifold blessings which are ours in holding
the priesthood of God!
|p2 Brethren, there is one matter I should like to mention at
the very beginning of my remarks. To those of you who are
citizens of the United States: I wish to urge you and your
family members of voting age to go to the polls in large numbers
next month on Tuesday, November 4, and vote for the strongest,
finest people who are certain to do the most to safeguard the
rights and freedoms of this nation. We do not endorse any
candidates, but we hope you will vote for good men and women of
character, integrity, and ability. You are to be the judge.
Further, we hope. our Church buildings and our Church
organizations will not be used to advance the candidacy or
policies of any of the candidates.
|p3 As we read and study the scriptures we are made conscious of
the fact that the Savior has always been concerned about the
welfare of the members of his flock, both individually and
collectively. It is about that principle of caring for and
ministering to the needs of the Church membership in these
troubled days that I desire to speak to you brethren tonight.
|p4 Bishops and branch presidents, please be ever alert to the
needs of the precious individuals and families who make up the
membership of your wards and branches. You are the nurturing
shepherds of our people. To the greatest extent possible let
your counselors and others who serve and work under your
direction be the managers of programs. If you will pursue this
emphasis, you will often be able to detect very early some of
those members who have serious difficulties, while their
challenges and problems are still small and manageable. Be
conscious of the little tensions and problems you may see in
families so that you can give the required attention, counsel,
and love when it is most needed. An hour with a troubled boy or
girl now |P46|p1 may save him or her, and is infinitely better
than the hundreds of hours spent in their later lives in the
reclamation of a boy or girl if they become inactive.
|p2 As we have said so many times, delegate those tasks which
others can do so that you are free to do those things which you,
and you alone, can do. Home teachers are to help watch over the
flock. Even though they don't counsel as bishops and branch
presidents do, home teachers can render much appropriate and
preventive help under the direction of the quorum leaders and
bishoprics.
|p3 Stake presidents, bishops, and branch presidents, please
take a particular interest in improving the quality of teaching
in the Church. The Savior has told us to feed his sheep (see
John 21:15-17). I fear that all too often many of our members
come to church, sit through a class or meeting, and they then
return home having been largely uninformed. It is especially
unfortunate when this happens at a time when they may be
entering a period of stress, temptation, or crisis. We all need
to be touched and nurtured by the Spirit, and effective teaching
is one of the most important ways this can happen. We often do
vigorous enlistment work to get members to come to church but
then do not adequately watch over what they receive when they do
come.
|p4 Yesterday while speaking to the Regional Representatives, I
called attention to the challenge facing all of us as we
fellowship and teach the gospel to cultural and minority groups
living among us. When special attention of some kind is not
provided for these good people, we lose them. In April of 1977,
as I was speaking about the Lamanites, I said that we could "no
longer merely teach and preach to them, but we must establish
the Church among them" (Regional Representatives seminar, I
April 1977). This statement applies to all cultures.
|p5 During the past few years, the basic unit program has been
developed to assist where there are special language or cultural
needs. Its guidebooks, manuals, and reports are much less
complicated than those for the full Church program. They are
wonderful and are now available in most languages. We have
designed smaller, less expensive buildings to meet this need
also. Couples can be trained in the basic unit program and can
then assist in establishing the Church among all people in all
lands. Where the program is being used as outlined, we are
meeting with great success.
|p6 We encourage you priesthood leaders to become familiar with
this program and use it to bless people. The Lord said, "For
they cannot bear meat now, but milk they must receive" (D&C
19:22).
|p7 One more very important thing, my brethren--especially you
stake presidents, bishops, and branch presidents. Be mindful
always of the members of your flock who are sad, lonely,
bereaved, or bereft. There are always some among us who need our
special care and attention. We must never forget or overlook
them. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction"
(James 1:27).
|p8 We are rightly known as a chapel-building people. I hope we
will become even better known as a family-building people. Do
not neglect your own families, brethren. The new consolidated
schedule permits you, if you plan well, to hold all the meetings
in the consolidated schedule along with the necessary
administrative meetings and still have several hours with your
family every Sunday. Please see to it that this is done, so that
you priesthood brethren do not neglect your own families and so
that our wonderful stake presidents, bishops, branch and quorum
presidents, and others can do likewise.
|p9 I love you, my brethren, my beloved brethren, and I am
grateful for your faith, your devotion, and your love for the
cause of truth, the cause of the Master. Brethren, I express my
affection for you and all your people in the scattered portions
of the world. May the Lord bless you, brethren, and know that
you are much loved here at Church headquarters. God bless you;
peace be with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
October 5, 1980 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
"Do Not Weary by the Way"
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 What a joy it is to be in this conference and to hear the
word of the Lord as it has been given by so many of the
Brethren. As always, my brothers and sisters, I am thankful,
personally, as well as in behalf of the Church members, for the
counsel and encouragement we have received in this general
conference. Those who have provided the music have added so much
to these sessions. Those of you who are in attendance have
listened thoughtfully, and you have been fed the bread of life.
Most of all, the lord has blessed us with his Spirit, for which
we are deeply grateful.
|p2 What has been received, however, must not be put out of our
thoughts with the singing of the closing hymn. As we have
listened to each sermon, we have added our own emphatic amens.
With the final amen this afternoon still ringing in our ears,
let us go back to our homes with a determination to do better
and to put into practice those principles we have learned about
in the last two days.
|p3 Brothers and sisters, our challenge is the same as it always
is when we have been taught correct principles. The challenge
has been put well by an ancient prophet who said, "Now, if you
believe all these things see that ye do them" (Mosiah 4:10). We
must not let the inner resolves we have made during this
conference be forgotten as we return to the trials and
tribulations and responsibilities of a workaday world, a world
of turmoil and strife.
|p4 For a few hours we have been apart from the world in general
conference, and the Spirit has whispered peace to our souls. Now
we must return to our places again in the world, but we are
better prepared to improve the world. let us more fully and
confidently go ahead and meet the problems that beset us. let us
move forward confidently, not with halting steps, but steadily,
and with persistent dedication borne of the Spirit.
|p5 It has been a great time of rejoicing during these days of
conference, when friends have met friends and where the Saints
have received much counsel. If all who have been to this
conference will return to their homes and make up their minds
that they are going to fulfill the obligations they have agreed
to--that will be splendid!
|p6 We are bound to note events and trends in the world which
will constitute special challenges. We cannot expect to live in
times of turbulence without experiencing some of that turbulence
ourselves. But we do not need to be "tossed to and fro, and
carried about [by] every wind of doctrine" without anchor (see
Eph. 4:14). We have fellowship in a divine church. We have
present day prophets to guide us. We have Christ as our shepherd
to lead us.
|p7 Even so, brethren and sisters, modern communications have a
way of bringing the world into our homes, and we must not lose
our perspective, even if others are confused. If we hear
discouraging reports and are sobered by events in the world, let
us not become fainthearted--"Do not weary by the way." The
Lord's program will succeed even if some individuals in the
Church fail. We will see the constant progress of the Lord's
work, even in the midst of problems in the world. It will roll
forth until it fills the whole earth. He has given us his
assurances so many, many times. He has told us that if we will
keep his commandments he is bound to keep his promises to us. He
does! He will!
|p8 I suppose if I have learned anything in life, it is that we
are to keep moving, keep trying--as long as we breathe! If we
do, we will be surprised at how much more can still be done.
|p9 We are very much impressed by the Lamanite program, which is
so very impressive to me, and we come to realize that this
program is a reality. It is not a question in our minds; |P77|p1
it is a reality, and it is spread far and wide in the world. We
are very proud of the work that is being done. We are grateful
for it. We are greatly conscious of the fact that among the
Lamanites--as well as among all peoples of the other
countries--we have a responsibility to see that the gospel
reaches their hearts and minds and that they understand it.
|p2 We say again to the good people of this Church: Now let us
go forth, having been edified, to bless and edify our families,
our neighbors, and our friends. We are bound together by the
fact that we are all literal children of our Heavenly Father and
that he loves us.
|p3 We have spoken much about love today. Whenever I think of
the countries of the world which I have visited in my lifetime,
I have a very great love for them and their peoples--for them as
individuals and as a people who have responded to us at one time
or another.
|p4 Brethren and sisters, I would like to be known as one who
loves his brothers and sisters. I would like that love to be
extended far and near by all the visitors who leave this
conference and go to other places to carry on the work of the
lord.
|p5 The lord lives, God lives, and Jesus is the Christ. He is
the Only Begotten Son, the Savior and the Redeemer of this
world. It is my solemn testimony that we are the Lord's
witnesses, and we are grateful indeed in our hearts for the
constant surveillance of the Lord Jesus Christ, for all that he
means to us, and for all that he does and gives to us.
|p6 The Lord bless you, my dear brethren and sisters. I hope
that you will go forward now with a new spring in your walk and
that you may be able to carry forward the things that you have
planned all your life to do. I hope that you will do them well
and do them better than they have ever been done before. And I
hope that you will give to the numerous people who need the
Lord's blessings that which they need so much: the assurance
that the Gospel is here, that the Lord is God, that Jesus Christ
is the Redeemer, and that we can depend on him totally in our
work.
|p7 We pray that the lord may continue to bless you, and we
would be glad if you take back to your homes and to your people
our sincere and deep love. God bless you, in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
October 4, 1980 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
WELFARE SESSION
October 4, 1980
The Law of Tithing
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My dear brothers and sisters, my message today is not a new
one. Prophets of all dispensations have clearly taught the law
of tithing and the principles of the gospel with regard thereto.
From the beginning we have been taught that "the earth is the
lord's, and the fulness thereof" (1 Cor. 10:26). From this
fulness, the lord requires that we dedicate one-tenth to him.
Tithing is a law of God and is required of his followers. To
fail to meet this obligation is to fail in a very weighty
matter.
|p2 On this subject, we may read the word of the lord in this
dispensation in section 119 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
|p3 Inquiries are received at the office of the First Presidency
from time to time from officers and members of the Church asking
for information as to what is considered a proper tithe.
|p4 We have uniformly replied that the simplest statement we
know of is the statement of the Lord himself, namely, that the
members of the Church should pay "one-tenth of all their
interest annually" which is understood to mean income (see D&C
119:4).
|p5 At times when we are inclined to think it is vain to serve
the Lord, we should stir our faith, believe in the rich promises
of God, and obey--and patiently wait. The lord will fulfill all
his rich promises to us. Paul says: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him" 1 Cor. 2:9).
|p6 Even for the present life, great blessings are promised to
the obedient. Take, for example, the promise to the tithe payer:
|p7 "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may
be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord
of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour
you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.
|p8 "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall
not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine
cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of
hosts.
|p9 "And all nations shall call you blessed." (Mal. 3:10-12.)
|p10 As I have already noted, the word of the Lord establishing
the law |P78|p1 of tithing in this dispensation was revealed to
the Prophet Joseph Smith at Far West, Missouri, on July 8, 1838,
and is recorded in section 119 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Ten days later the Lord gave the Prophet Joseph a further
revelation, section 120 of the Doctrine and Covenants, making
known the proper disposition of the tithes of the Church by a
council composed of the First Presidency, the forum of the
Twelve, and the Presiding Bishopric. To this day, the Council on
the Disposition of Tithes, composed of the eighteen presiding
Brethren designated in the revelation, meets regularly under the
inspiration of the Lord to determine and approve the
disbursement of the tithes of the lord's church. As you are well
aware, the Church does not engage in deficit spending. The
sacred funds of the Church are carefully budgeted so that the
expenditures never exceed the income.
|p2 President Joseph F. Smith, in speaking on the law of tithing
from this very pulpit at the October conference in 1897, said:
|p3 "The purpose of the law of tithing is similar to that of the
law of revenue which is enacted by every state, every country,
and every municipality in the world, I suppose. There is no such
thing as an organization of men for any purpose of importance,
without provisions for carrying out its designs. The law of
tithing is the law of revenue for The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Without it, it would be impossible to carry
on the purposes of the Lord." (Gospel Doctrine, 6th ed. Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938 p. 226.)
|p4 Time will not permit me to tell you in detail a beautiful
story on tithing told by my uncle, President Joseph F. Smith. It
concerns an experience his mother, Mary Fielding Smith, the
widow of Patriarch Hyrum Smith, had after she came to the Salt
Lake Valley. It is heartwarming and faith promoting. She said to
a man at the tithing office, across the street where the Hotel
Utah now stands, who chided her for paying tithing: "You ought
to be ashamed of yourself. Would you deny me a blessing? If I
did not pay my tithing, I should expect the Lord to withhold his
blessings from me. I pay my tithing, not only because it is a
law of God, but because I expect a blessing by doing it. By
keeping this and other laws, I expect to prosper, and to be able
to provide for my family.
|p5 I would recommend that all of you read the full story in the
book Gospel Doctrine, a selection of President Smith's writings
and sermons, pages 228, 229, and 230.
|p6 My brethren and sisters, again I say, tithing is a law of
God and is required of his followers. To fail to meet this
obligation in full is to omit a weighty matter. It is a
transgression, not an inconsequential oversight.
|p7 Brethren and sisters, the law of tithing is a divine
commandment and applies to all the children of our Heavenly
Father. All who believe the Bible ought to believe that it is a
law of God. But none understand it and live it like the
Latter-day Saints attempt to live it, because it has been
renewed to us by modern-day prophets.
|p8 There echo again and again the words of the Master: "Render
. . . unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God
the things that are God's" (Matt. 22:21).
|p9 I bear my testimony, brothers and sisters, and witness to
the divinity of this important law of the Lord and pray our
Heavenly Father to bless you and all the Saints with that same
testimony and leave my blessings with you, in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
October 1980 Special message
President Spencer W. Kimball
SPECIAL MESSAGE TO ALL LATTER-DAY SAINTS
President Kimball Speaks Out on Morality
President Spencer W. Kimball
(Not a part of Conference)
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, while this is a grave
responsibility, and not an easy one, I am eager to discuss with
you some matters of importance.
|p2 I love youth. I rejoice when they grow up clean and stalwart
and tall. I sorrow with them when they have misfortunes and
remorse and troubles.
|p3 Numerous disasters have occurred in mid-ocean by collisions
of ships, sometimes with icebergs, and numerous people have gone
to watery graves. I believe you young people are wholesome and
basically good and sound; but you, too, are traveling oceans
which to you are at least partially uncharted, where there are
shoals and rocks and icebergs and other vessels, and where great
disasters can come unless warnings are heeded.
|p4 A couple of years ago as my jet plane soared in the air
gaining altitude, the voice of the stewardess came clearly over
the loudspeaker: "We are moving into a storm area. We shall
skirt the danger, but there may be some turbulence. Be sure your
seat belts are securely fastened."
|p5 And, as a leader of the Church and in a measure being
responsible for youth and their well-being, I raise my voice to
say to you: "You are in a hazardous area and period. Tighten
your belts, hold on,, and you can survive the turbulence."
|p6 I have interviewed thousands of young people and many seem
to flounder. Some give excuses for their errors and indulge in
unwarranted rationalizations. I hope I may be able to clarify at
least in some areas the stand of the God of heaven and his
church on some vital issues.
|p7 First, let us pause to remind ourselves that we are the
spiritual children of God, and that we are his supreme creation.
In each of us there is the potentiality to become a God-pure,
holy, true, influential, powerful, independent of earthly
forces. We learn from the scriptures that we each have eternal
existence, that we were in the beginning with God (see Abr.
3:22). That understanding gives to us a unique sense of man's
dignity.
|p8 But there are false teachers everywhere, using speech and
pornographic literature, magazines, radio, TV, street
talk--spreading damnable heresies which break down moral
standards, and this to gratify the lust of the flesh.
|p9 Lucifer in his diabolical scheming deceives the unwary and
uses every tool at his command. Seldom does one go to a
convention, a club meeting, a party, or a social gathering
without hearing vulgarity, obscenity, and suggestive stories.
|p10 Peter cautioned us: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).
|p11 And the Savior said that the very elect would be deceived
by Lucifer if it were possible. He will use his logic to confuse
and his rationalizations to destroy. He will shade meanings,
open doors an inch at a time, and lead from purest white through
all the shades of gray to the darkest black.
|p12 So I wish today to help define meanings of words and acts
for you young people, to fortify you against error anguish,
pain, and sorrow.
|p13 Necking, Petting, Fornication
|p14 I will begin with a true story. The characters are real. He
was well-proportioned and, like King David, "ruddy, and withal
of a beautiful countenance, and gay to look to" (1 Sam. 16:12).
|p15 With him at his side was a lovely girl, slight of frame and
beautiful of face and form. It was obvious that they loved one
another, for as they sat together across the desk from me, he
reached quietly for her hand and there were meaningful glances.
|p16 The melodious voice was hesitant and a bit choked with
emotion as he introduced his girl friend, and there was pleading
in their eyes. We are in difficulty, Brother Kimball," he said.
"We have broken the law of chastity. We prayed and fasted and
agonized and finally came to the conclusion that we must try to
make adjustments.
|p17 "That junior prom date was a turning point. It started out
a very special one. But as I see it now, it turned out to be a
tragic one, the beginning of our troubles. When I saw her coming
downstairs that night, I thought no girl was ever so beautiful
and so sweet. We danced through the evening; and then when we
sat in the car, long and silently afterward, my thoughts became
unruly as we became more and more intimate.
|p18 "Neither of us dreamed what was happening to us," he
continued, "but all the elements were there to break down
resistance. We did not notice time--the hours passed. The simple
kisses we had often exchanged gradually developed into petting.
We stopped at that. But there were other nights--the bars were
down. We loved each other so much that we convinced ourselves
that it was not so wrong merely to pet since we sort of belonged
to one another anyway. Where we ended one night became the
starting point for the next night, and we continued on and on,
until finally it happened--almost as though we could not control
ourselves--we had intercourse. We had even talked about it and
agreed that whatever else we did we would not go that far. And
then |P95|p1 when it was late--so late--so everlastingly
late--we woke up to the meaning of what we had done."
|p2 Immorality does not begin in adultery or perversion. It
begins with little indiscretions like sex thoughts, sex
discussions, passionate kissing, petting and such, growing with
every exercise. The small indiscretion seems powerless compared
to the sturdy body, the strong mind, the sweet spirit of youth
who give way to the us! temptation. But soon the strong has
become weak, the master the slave, spiritual growth curtailed.
But if the first unrighteous act is never given root, the tree
will grow to beautiful maturity and the youthful life will grow
toward God, our Father.
|p3 "Can we be forgiven, Brother Kimball?" the young couple
asked.
|p4 "Yes," I replied, "the Lord and his church can and will
forgive, but not easily. The way of the transgressor is hard. It
always has been and it always will be. The Lord said: `I tell
thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very
last mite' (Luke 12:59).
|p5 But I went on to tell them that in his goodness he provided
for us a way to forgiveness. One may do as he pleases, but he
cannot evade responsibility. He may break laws, but he cannot
avoid penalties. One gets by with nothing. God is just. Paul
said, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).
|p6 Serious as is the sin of fornication (sexual intercourse by
the unmarried), there is forgiveness upon condition of total
repentance. But first one must come to a realization of the
seriousness of his sin. Since the beginning there has been in
the world a wide range of sins. Many of them involve harm to
others, but every sin is against ourselves and God, for sins
limit our progress, curtail our development, and estrange us
from good people, good Influences, and from our Lord.
|p7 The early apostles and prophets mention numerous sins that
were reprehensible to them. Many of them were sexual
sins--adultery, being without natural affection, lustfulness,
infidelity, incontinence, filthy communications, impurity,
inordinate affection, fornication. They included all sexual
relations outside marriage--petting, sex perversion,
masturbation, and preoccupation with sex in one's thoughts and
talking. Included are every hidden and secret sin and all unholy
and impure thoughts and practices. One of the worst of these is
incest. The dictionary defines incest as "sexual intercourse
between persons so closely related that they are forbidden by
law to marry." The spirituality of one's life may be severely,
and sometimes irreparably, damaged by such an ugly sin. The
First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have determined
that the penalty for incest shall be excommunication. Also, one
excommunicated for incest shall not be baptized again into the
Church without the written permission of the First Presidency.
|p8 Conscience tells the individual when he is entering
forbidden worlds, and it continues to prick until silenced by
the will or by sin's repetition.
|p9 Can anyone truthfully say he did not know such things were
wrong? These unholy practices, whatever may be their
unmentionable names with all their approaches and numerous
manifestations, are condemned by the Lord and his church. Some
may be more heinous than others, but all are sin, in spite of
statements to the contrary of those who falsely pretend to know.
The Lord's prophets declare they are not right.
|p10 The world may have its norm; the Church has a different
one. It may be considered normal by the people of the world to
use tobacco; the Church's standard is a higher plane where
smoking is not done. The world's norm may permit men and women
social drinking; the Lord's church lifts its people to a norm of
total abstinence. The world may countenance premarital sex
experiences, but the Lord and his church condemn in no uncertain
terms any and every sex relationship outside of marriage.
|p11 Paul lashed out against these unholy evidences of the
vulgar mind and of uncontrolled passion and desire:
|p12 "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the
lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between
themselves" (Rom. 1:24).
|p13 Since courtship is prelude to marriage and encourages close
associations, many have convinced themselves that intimacies are
legitimate--a part of the courting process. Many have cast off
bridle and harness and have relaxed the restraints. Instead of
remaining in the field of simple expressions of affection, some
have turned themselves loose to fondling, often called "necking,
with its intimate contacts and its passionate kissing. Necking
is the younger member of this unholy family. Its bigger sister
is called "petting." When the intimacies have reached this
stage, they are surely the sins condemned by the Savior:
|p14 "Ye have heard that it was said |P96|p1 by them of old
time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
|p2 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to
lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his
heart." (Matt. 5:27-28.)
|p3 Who would say that he or she who pets has not become
lustful, has not become passionate? Is it not this most
abominable practice that God rebuked in his modern reiteration
of the Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not steal; neither commit
adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it" (D&C 59:6).
|p4 What, may I ask you, is like unto adultery if it is not
petting? Did not the Lord recognize that this heinous sin is but
the devil's softening process for the final acts of adultery or
fornication? Can a person in the light of the Lord's scriptures
pursue the path of petting with clear conscience? Can anyone
convince himself that this is not deep sin?
|p5 We must repeat what we have said many times: Fornication
with all its big and little brothers and sisters was evil and
wholly condemned by the Lord in Adam's day, in Moses day, in
Paul's day, and in our own day. The Church has no tolerance for
any kind of perversions. The Lord has indicated his lack of
tolerance, stating:
|p6 "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree
of allowance" (D&C 1:31).
|p7 When the scriptures are so plain, how can anyone justify
immoralities and call them love? Is black white? Is evil good?
Is purity filthiness?
|p8 That the Church's stand on morality may be understood, we
declare firmly and unalterably, it is not an outworn garment,
faded, old-fashioned, and threadbare. God is the same yesterday,
today, and forever, and his covenants and doctrines are
immutable; and when the sun grows cold and the stars no longer
shine, the law of chastity will still be basic in God's world
and in the Lord's church. Old values are upheld by the Church
not because they are old, but rather because through the ages
they have proved right. It will always be the rule.
|p9 Dating Standards
|p10 In order to avoid difficulty and possible temptation, I
suggest again the following standard. Any dating or pairing off
in social contacts should be postponed until at least the age of
16 or older, and even then there should still be much judgment
used in selections and in the seriousness. Young people should
still limit the close contacts for several years, since the boy
will be going on his mission when he is 19 years old.
|p11 Dating and especially steady dating in the early teens is
most hazardous. It distorts the whole picture of life. It
deprives you of worthwhile and rich experiences; it limits
friendships; it reduces the acquaintances which can be so
valuable in selecting a partner for time and eternity.
|p12 There is definitely a time for the dance, for travel, for
associations, for the date, and even for the steady date that
will culminate in the romance which will take young people to
the holy temple for eternal marriage. But it is the timing that
is so vital. It is wrong to do even the right things at the
wrong time in the wrong place under the wrong circumstances.
|p13 I believe the youth of Zion want to hear the clear and
unmistakable tones of the trumpet, and it is my hope that I can
play the tune with accuracy and precision so that no honest
person will ever be confused. I hope fervently that I am making
clear the position of the Lord and his church on these
unmentionable |P97|p1 practices.
|p2 Self-abuse
|p3 Masturbation, a rather common indiscretion, is not approved
of the Lord nor of his church, regardless of what may have been
said by others whose "norms" are lower. Latter-day Saints are
urged to avoid this practice. Anyone fettered by this weakness
should abandon the habit before he goes on a mission or receives
the holy priesthood or goes in the temple for his blessings.
|p4 Sometimes masturbation is the introduction to the more
serious sins of exhibitionism and the gross sin of
homosexuality. We would avoid mentioning these unholy terms and
these reprehensible practices were it not for the fact that we
have a responsibility to the youth of Zion that they be not
deceived by those who would call bad good, and black white.
|p5 Homosexuality
|p6 The unholy transgression of homosexuality is either rapidly
growing or tolerance is giving it wider publicity. If one has
such desires and tendencies, he overcomes them the same as if he
had the urge toward petting or fornication or adultery. The Lord
condemns and forbids this practice with a vigor equal to his
condemnation of adultery and other such sex acts. And the Church
will excommunicate as readily any unrepentant addict.
|p7 Again, contrary to the belief and statement of many people,
this sin, like fornication, is overcomable and forgivable, but
again, only upon a deep and abiding repentance, which means
total abandonment and complete transformation of thought and
act. The fact that some governments and some churches and
numerous corrupted individuals have tried to reduce such
behavior from criminal offense to personal privilege does not
change the nature nor the seriousness of the practice. Good men,
wise men, God-fearing men everywhere still denounce the practice
as being unworthy of sons and daughters of God; and Christ's
church denounces it and condemns it so long as men and women
have bodies which can be defiled.
|p8 James said: "A double minded man is unstable in all his
ways.
|p9 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is
tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the lord hath
promised to them that love him.
|p10 "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:
for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any
man:
|p11 "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own
lust, and enticed.
|p12 "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and
sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
|p13 "Do not err, my beloved brethren." (James 1:8, 12-16.)
|p14 This heinous homosexual sin is of the ages. Many cities and
civilizations have gone out of existence because of it. It was
present in Israel's wandering days, tolerated by the Greeks, and
found in the baths of corrupt Rome.
|p15 This is a most unpleasant subject to dwell upon, but I am
pressed to speak of it boldly so that no youth in the Church
will ever have any question in his mind as to the illicit and
diabolical nature of this perverse program. Again, Lucifer
deceives and prompts logic and rationalization which will
destroy men and women and make them servants of Satan forever.
Paul told Timothy:
|p16 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears;
|p17 "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables." (2 Tim. 4:3-4; see also Moses
5:50-55.)
|p18 "God made me that way," some say, as they rationalize and
excuse themselves for their perversions. "I can't help it," they
add. This is blasphemy. Is man not made in the image of God, and
does he think God to be "that way"? Man is responsible for his
own sins. It is possible that he may rationalize and excuse
himself until the groove is so deep he cannot get out without
great difficulty, but this he can do. Temptations come to all
people. The difference between the reprobate and the worthy
person is generally that one yielded and the other resisted. It
is true that one's background may make the decision and
accomplishment easier or more difficult, but if one is mentally
alert, he can still control his future. That is the gospel
message--personal responsibility.
|p19 And now, my dear brothers and sisters, I have spoken
frankly and boldly against the sins of the day. Even though I
dislike such a subject, I believe it necessary to warn the youth
against the onslaught of the arch tempter who, with his army of
emissaries and all the tools at his command, would destroy all
the youth of Zion, largely through deception, misrepresentation,
and lies.
|p20 "Be wise in the days of your probation," said Mormon,
"strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may
consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that
ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true
and living God" (Morm. 9:28).
|p21 Repentance
|p22 Beloved youth, for those of you who have erred, the Lord
and his church can forgive. The image of a loving, forgiving God
comes through clearly to those who read and understand the
scriptures. Since he is our Father, he naturally desires to
raise us up, not to push us down, to help us live, not to bring
about our spiritual death.
|p23 Repentance seems to fall into five steps:
|p24 1. Sorrow for sin. To be sorry for our sin we must know
something of its serious implications. When fully convicted, we
condition our minds to follow such processes as will rid us of
the effects of the sin. |P98|p1 We are sorry. We are willing to
make amends, pay penalties, to suffer even to excommunication if
necessary.
|p2 2. Abandonment of sin. It is best when one discontinues his
error because of his realization of the gravity of his sin and
when he is willing to comply with the laws of God. The thief may
abandon his evil in prison, but true repentance would have him
forsake it before his arrest and return his booty without
enforcement. The sex offender who voluntarily ceases his unholy
practices is headed toward forgiveness.
|p3 Alma said, "Blessed are they who humble themselves without
being compelled to be humble" (Al. 32:16).
|p4 The discontinuance must be a permanent one. True repentance
does not permit repetition. The Lord revealed this to the
Prophet Joseph Smith concerning repentance: "By this ye may know
if a man repenteth of his sins--behold, he will confess them and
forsake them" (D&C 58:43).
|p5 3. Confession of sin. The confession of sin is an important
element in repentance. Many offenders have seemed to feel that a
few prayers to the Lord were sufficient. They have thus
justified themselves in hiding their sins.
|p6 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Prov. 28:13).
|p7 Especially grave errors such as sexual sins shall be
confessed to the bishop as well as to the Lord. There are two
remissions which one might wish to have. First, the forgiveness
from the Lord, and second, the forgiveness of the Lord's church
through its leaders. As soon as one has an inner conviction of
his sins, he should go to the Lord in "mighty prayer" as did
Enos and never cease his supplications until he shall, like
Enos, receive the assurance that his sins have been forgiven by
the Lord. It is unthinkable that God absolves serious sins upon
a few requests. He is likely to wait until there has been long,
sustained repentance as evidenced by a willingness to comply
with all his other requirements. Next, the offender should seek
the forgiveness of the Church through his bishop. No priest or
elder is authorized to thus act for the Church. The Lord has a
consistent, orderly plan. Every soul in stakes is given a bishop
who, by the very order of his calling and his ordination, is a
"judge in Israel." The bishop is our best earthly friend. He
will hear the problems, judge the seriousness, then determine
the degree of repentance and decide if it warrants an eventual
forgiveness. He does this as the earthly representative of
God--the master physician, the master psychologist, the master
psychiatrist. If repentance is sufficient he may waive
penalties, which is tantamount to forgiveness. The bishop claims
no authority to absolve sins, but he does share the burden,
waive penalties, relieve tension and strain; and he may assure a
continuance of activity. He will keep the whole matter most
confidential.
|p8 4. Restitution for sin. When one is humble in sorrow, has
unconditionally abandoned the evil, and confessed to those
assigned by the lord, he should next restore insofar as possible
that which was damaged. If he burglarized, he should return to
the rightful owner that which was stolen. Perhaps one reason
murder is unforgivable is that having taken a life, the murderer
cannot restore it. Restitution in full is not possible. Also,
having robbed one of virtue, it is impossible to give it back.
|p9 However, the truly repentant soul will usually find things
which can be done to restore to some extent. The true spirit of
repentance demands this. Ezekiel taught, "If the wicked. . .
give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life,
without committing iniquity; he shall surely live" (Ezek.
33:15).
|p10 Moses taught, "If a man shall steal an ox or a sheep, . . .
he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a
sheep" (Exod. 22:1).
|p11 A pleading sinner must also forgive all people of all
offenses committed against himself. The lord is under no
obligation to forgive us unless our hearts are fully purged of
all hate, bitterness, and accusations against all others.
|p12 5. Do the will of the Father. I received many birthday
cards for my 83rd birthday in March of 1978. One was bound in a
book and had 4,700 autographs of youth who had signed the book.
There were many others also, and other thousands of signatures.
They were pledging their lives with such statements as the
following:
|p13 "Dear President Spencer W. Kimball,
|p14 "As a member of our world, I pledge to you and with the
Lord to lengthen my stride, to quicken my pace, to stretch my
soul in the work of the Lord.
|p15 "I promise to pay my tithing faithfully and regularly all
my life.
|p16 "I promise to you and the Lord to live the Word of Wisdom,
even though temptations arise. No tobacco, liquor, tea, coffee,
or drugs will I ever touch.
|p17 "I promise to remember my nightly and morning prayers. I
shall never forget the Lord nor his rich promises, his
protecting care, and his rich blessings.
|p18 "I promise above all that I will keep my life clean and
unspotted from the numerous insidious temptations. There will
never be any approach to immorality of any nature.
|p19 "I pledge that I shall lengthen my stride in the reading
and absorbing of the scriptures and other good books.
|p20 "I pledge sincerely that I will quicken my pace in my love
of my fellowmen and work together with them in achieving
righteousness.
|p21 "I will stretch my soul to understand all of the
commandments of the Lord and live them with great precision and
care and love."
|p22 Now, brothers and sisters, you are sweet and wonderful, and
we are proud of you, proud of the records you make, proud of the
devotion you show, proud of the sacrifice you make. I tell you,
we love you. How we pray for you every meeting we hold, every
night and morning in our homes, and every night in our bedrooms;
we pray for you that you will keep yourselves clean. Clean--we
can clean from beginning to end. Free from all the ugly things
the world is pushing upon us--the drugs, and drinking, and
smoking, the vulgarity, the pornography--all those things you
don't need to participate in. You must not give yourselves to
them.
|p23 Put on the full armor of God. Attend to your personal and
family prayers and family devotions; keep holy the Sabbath; live
strictly the Word of Wisdom; attend to all family duties; and
above all, keep your life clean and free from all unholy and
impure thoughts and actions. Avoid all associations which
degrade and lower the high, righteous standards set up for us.
Then your life will sail smoothly and peace and joy will
surround you.
April 4, 1981 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
A Report of My Stewardship
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 Once again I rejoice, my brothers and sisters, at the
opportunity to be with you in a general conference of the
Church. In many ways, the October conference of six months ago
seems like yesterday, yet we have been so busy, and so much has
happened, it almost seems more like six years.
|p2 Since last we met in this historic Tabernacle, two new
temples have been dedicated, and ground has been broken for four
more temples. New converts who joined the Church in 1980
numbered 210,777--and there will be even more in 1981. A
miraculous upsurge in the work of the Lord has occurred among
the wonderful people of the Caribbean Islands. Surely the Lord
has blessed us abundantly!
|p3 My brothers and sisters, as the Brethren of the First
presidency and the Twelve have meditated upon and prayed about
the great latter-day work the Lord has given us to do, we are
impressed that the mission of the Church is threefold:
|p4 . To proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to every
nation, kindred, tongue, and people;
|p5 . To perfect the Saints by preparing them to receive the
ordinances of the gospel and by instruction and discipline to
gain exaltation;
|p6 . To redeem the dead by performing vicarious ordinances of
the gospel for those who have lived on the earth.
|p7 All three are part of one work--to assist our Father in
Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, in Their grand and glorious
mission "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of
man." (Moses 1:39.)
|p8 Having these sacred principles in mind--to proclaim the
gospel to perfect the Saints, and to redeem the dead--we have
endeavored these past six months to carry out our
responsibilities among the Saints at home and abroad. I should
like, therefore, to give you a brief report on my stewardship
since last we met in October 1980.
|p9 Ten days alter the close of the October conference,
president Marion G. Romney and I left, in company with a number
of others, to conduct area conferences in the Orient. Our first
meetings were held in Manila, Philippine Islands, October 18 and
19, where twenty thousand Saints attended the sessions in the
Araneta Colosseum. We also looked |P6|p1 over possible sites for
the new temple which has just been announced for that land. We
had a very pleasant visit with Philippine President Ferdinand E.
Marcos, who gave up his Saturday morning with his family to meet
with us at the presidential palace.
|p2 From Manila we traveled to Hong Kong, perhaps the world's
most densely populated city, where there are about four hundred
thousand people per square mile. There we held meetings in our
own excellent stake center on October 20 and 21. The following
day we flew to Taipei, Taiwan, where we met on October 22 and 23
in the beautiful Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. We had breakfast at
our hotel with the two top leaders of the Republic of China,
Prime Minister Sun and President Chiang, son of the late Chiang
Kaishek. We later had lunch as guests of the governor of Taiwan
Province. After leaving Taiwan, we went to Seoul, South Korea,
the "Land of the Morning Calm." Meetings were held for two days,
October 25 and 26. We met outside in the Korea Seoul Mission
compound with more than six thousand present in bitter,
subfreezing temperature due to an overnight change in the
weather. At our hotel we had lunch as guests of the former
Deputy Prime Minister of Korea.
|p3 We arrived in Tokyo late Sunday evening, October 26. On
Monday, October 27, President Romney and I laid the cornerstone
for the Tokyo Temple, and then at 3:00 P.M. the first dedicatory
session was held in the celestial room, with color television
provided in all other rooms of the temple. During the next two
days, six more dedicatory sessions were held. Following the
dedication of the temple, the Tokyo area conference was held on
October 30 and 31 in the famed Budokan Hall. In every place we
visited we also held special meetings with the missionaries,
with fifteen hundred being present in one meeting in Tokyo. It
was indeed a thrilling and inspiring sight to see. On Saturday,
November 1, we held morning and afternoon sessions of the Osaka,
Japan, area conference. We left that evening to fly home,
stopping off in Hawaii for three hours for the purpose of
setting apart several sealers for the Hawaii Temple.
|p4 On November 14, we installed Dr. Jeffrey R. Holland as the
ninth president of the Brigham Young University, succeeding
newly appointed Utah Supreme Court justice Dallin H. Oaks.
|p5 Three days later, the First Presidency traveled to Seattle,
Washington, where we dedicated the new Seattle Temple at nearby
Bellevue. Monday through Friday, November 17 to 21, thirteen
dedicatory sessions were well attended. Over forty-three
thousand members from the great Northwest attended the various
sessions.
|p6 There followed a very busy period at home during the
Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
|p7 On Wednesday, February 11, 1981, Sister Kimball and I
journeyed to the South Pacific. In Tahiti we broke ground for a
new temple in Papeete and met with the missionaries. We also
visited with the Deputy to the High Commissioner of Tahiti at
the official government residence.
|p8 On Saturday, February 14, enroute to New Zealand, we stopped
over in Rarotonga and held a meeting with the Saints in an
airplane hangar at the airport. I am told it was the first time
a President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
has ever visited that island.
|p9 In New Zealand we held a meeting with several hundred Saints
on the grounds of the Auckland Airport. We conducted meetings at
the temple and the Church College of New Zealand and with the
missionaries. On Wednesday, the eighteenth, we flew to Tonga,
where we broke ground for the new temple in a beautiful coconut
grove at Nukualofa. The King and queen of Tonga and many of the
nobles of that kingdom were in attendance throughout the entire
day's activities. Of the 247 missionaries we met with in Tonga,
235 are natives and 12 are from America.
|p10 On Thursday, the nineteenth, we proceeded to Samoa, where
we broke ground in Apia for a temple in those lovely islands.
Several thousand Saints sat out in the open during a heavy
tropical rainstorm during the entire service. Present for this
occasion were the Chief of State of Western Samoa, the Prime
Minister, and several members of Parliament.
|p11 Early the next morning we had one of the loveliest
experiences of our lives, as we visited the Church School of
Western Samoa. As we entered the gymnasium, the largest building
on the campus, we saw seventeen hundred children sitting
cross-legged on the gymnasium floor, crowded in as tightly as
little sardines in a can. They ranged from small four- and
five-year-old kindergarten children in the front to teenaged
high-school youngsters in the back of the hall. What a
beautiful, thrilling sight they were as they sang "I Am a Child
of God"! They were all dressed in their school uniforms in
colors of blue and gold. With their beautiful dark hair and big
brown eyes, they presented a picture of youth and beauty that
was breath-taking. The tears came to our eyes quicKly and
without shame. At the close of my remarks, I announced to the
students that in honor of the occasion I was declaring a holiday
for the rest of the day. Judging by the sound of the applause, I
think I may have become an instant hero--at least for that day.
After the brief meeting, we left the hall with the haunting
strains of the Samoan farewell song, "Tofa My Faleni," ringing
in our ears and warming our hearts.
|p12 We flew to Hawaii that night, arriving the morning of
Saturday, February 21. During the day we visited the BYU-Hawaii
campus and the Polynesian Cultural Center. Sunday morning we
attended the Oahu Stake conference, and then, in company with
Elders Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and Boyd K. Packer,
we held a meeting in the Hawaii Temple. We then toured the newly
remodeled visitors' center and there met with the missionaries.
On Monday, February 23, 1981, we returned to Church
headquarters.
|p13 After four days at home and the office, Sister Kimball and
I left on Saturday, February 28, for Florida for a week-long
series of meetings with the Saints and some business leaders. On
Saturday, March 7, we broke ground for the. new temple in
Atlanta, Georgia. Ten thousand were present for this occasion,
including the governor of Georgia and his wife, several
legislators, and U.S. senators Jake Garn and Paula Hawkins.
Immediately following that service, we flew to San Juan, Puerto
Rico. The next morning, Sunday, March 8, we held a meeting with
over twenty-six hundred members of the stake and mission on that
island. We next visited the Dominican Republic and held a
meeting at Santo Domingo on Monday. Two years ago there were
only two families of |P7|p1 members on that island, but at our
meeting we had over fifteen hundred members present. We left
Santo Domingo on Tuesday, March 10, and that night dedicated a
new visitors' center on the Church's Deseret Ranch near Orlando,
Florida.
|p2 On Thursday, we visited the Washington, D.C., Visitors'
Center and then met with the Washington Temple presidency and
set apart several sealers. The next morning, Friday, March 13,
in company with Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, we visited with
President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office of the White House.
We presented to him his genealogy on his mother's side. We then
met with Mrs. Reagan. Both were very warm and gracious and very
appreciative of the genealogical record.
|p3 Sister Kimball and I then traveled directly to Arizona,
where on Saturday we attended the funeral of my sister, Alice
Nelson, who had passed away during our absence. On Sunday, March
15, we returned home to prepare for this general conference.
|p4 This has been a busy but enjoyable and fruitful six months,
during which we have traveled some fifty thousand miles by air.
We are grateful to the Lord as he has blessed us, and we have
observed the vitality and progress of the Church in many parts
of the world. Wherever we have gone, we have been thrilled and
humbled by the love and devotion of the members of the Church.
|p5 As we begin this conference this morning, I bring you love
and greetings from the Saints and missionaries in the Orient,
the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. I add my own love and
greetings and leave my blessings with you.
|p6 I know that God lives and that His Son, Jesus Christ, lives.
He is our Savior and our Redeemer and our Mediator with the
Father. May He bless us all during this great conference, I
humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
April 4, 1981 General Priesthood Meeting
President Spencer W. Kimball
Rendering Service to Others
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My dear brethren, I greet you as you are assembled here in
the Salt Lake Tabernacle and in hundreds of other meeting places
around the world. We are so pleased with the able leadership
provided by the priesthood bearers of the Church--at all levels!
As we magnify our priesthood callings, I hope we will always
remember that the Church is a support to the family. The Church
does not and must not seek to displace the family, but is
organized to help create and nurture righteous families as well
as righteous individuals.
|p2 In this connection, brethren, we hope you will be mindful of
your own needs and preserve some of that precious time for your
own wives and families. Be mindful, too, of your associates in
the work of the Church, so that time is not taken unnecessarily
from them and their families.
|p3 Avoid the tendency to crowd too many meetings in on the
Sabbath day. When holding your regular meetings, make them as
spiritual and effective as possible. Meetings need not be
hurried nor rushed, for they can be planned in a manner that
permits their sacred purposes to be accomplished without
difficulty.
|p4 The consolidated meeting schedule was implemented largely in
order to provide several more Sabbath hours for families.
Therefore, take time to be together as families to converse with
one another, to study the scriptures, to visit friends,
relatives, and the sick and lonely. This is also an excellent
time to work on your journals and genealogy.
|p5 Do not neglect those among us who do not now have the
blessings of living in traditional families. These are special
souls who often have special needs. Do not let them become
isolated from you or the activities of your ward or your branch.
|p6 My dear brethren, especially those of you who preside over
stakes, wards, or branches, I should like to reiterate a plea I
made to you in the October 1980 priesthood meeting.
|p7 Please take a particular interest in strengthening and
improving the quality of teaching in the Church. The Savior
charged us with feeding his sheep. (See John 21:15-17.) I fear
at times that all too often many of our members come to church,
sit through a class or meeting, and then return home having been
largely uninformed. It is especially unfortunate if his happens
at a time when they may be entering a period of stress,
temptation, or personal or family crisis. We all need to be
touched and nurtured by the Spirit, and effective teaching is
one of the most important ways this can happen. We regularly do
vigorous enlistment and reactivation work to get members to come
to church, but often do not watch over what they receive when
they do attend.
|p8 Brethren, as you may remember, while speaking this morning I
referred to our recent visit to the Caribbean Islands and the
wonderful missionary work that has been accomplished in the two
short years since we opened up those islands for the preaching
of the gospel.
|p9 One incident occurred in Santo Domingo that I did not have
time to tell you about. I think I should like to relate it to
you now.
|p10 We held an evening general meeting in Santo Domingo, the
capital city of the Dominican Republic. Nearly 1600 souls were
present.
|p11 About an hour after the close of the general meeting, a
busload of one hundred members from the Puerto Plata Branch
arrived at the meeting place. They had been delayed because
their bus broke down. Under ordinary circumstances, they could
have made the trip in about four hours, but they finally arrived
after 10:00 P.M. to find the hall dark and empty. Many wept
because they were so disappointed. All were converts, some for a
few months and others only weeks or days.
|p12 Sister Kimball and I had gone to bed after a long and
tiring day. Upon learning of the plight of these faithful souls,
my secretary knocked on the door of our hotel room and woke us
up. He apologized for disturbing us but thought that I would
want to know about the late arrivals and perhaps dictate a
personal message to them. However, I felt that wouldn't be good
enough and not fair to those who had come so far under such
trying circumstances--one hundred people jammed into one bus. I
got out of bed and dressed and went downstairs to see the
members who had made such an effort only to be disappointed
because of engine trouble. The Saints were still weeping as we
entered the hall, so I spent more than an hour visiting with
them.
|p13 They then seemed relieved and |P46|p1 satisfied and got
back on the bus for the long ride home. They had to get back by
morning to go to work and to school. Those good people seemed so
appreciative of a brief visit together that I felt we just
couldn't let them down. As I returned to my bed, I did so with a
sense of peace and contentment in my soul.
|p2 Brethren, we all have opportunities to render service to
others. That is our calling and our privilege. In serving the
needs of others, we are mindful of the words of the Savior:
"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt.
25:40.)
|p3 Brethren, may we counsel you on another matter close to all
of us? As we seek contributions from our Saints for tithes and
fast offerings, let us speak, more often than we sometimes do,
in terms of blessings which will flow to us as we keep the
commandments and do our duty. From time to time, we hear reports
of unwarranted pressures which accompany the financial requests
made of our Church members.
|p4 This is a matter of grave importance. In these days of
inflation and emotional and political unrest, our people
everywhere are being met with difficult and trying experiences
on almost every hand. Prudence and wisdom not only suggest but
dictate that we take some steps to retrench and husband our
resources. We must not overburden our people. With this in mind,
the First Presidency has prepared a letter which was released
yesterday in which we set out the concerns of the First
Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve relating to the
increasing financial burdens on members of the Church, in
addition to their payment of tithing and fast offerings. With
our letter, we prepared some guidelines to assist ward, stake,
and mission leaders in complying with the counsel and direction
given. We have instructed the Regional Representatives of the
Twelve to give this matter immediate attention and
implementation.
|p5 Let us as individuals, as families, and as wards and stakes
learn to live within our means. There is strength and salvation
in this principle. Someone has said that we are rich in
proportion to that with which we can do without. As families and
as a Church, we can and should provide that which is truly
essential for our people, but we must be careful not to extend
beyond that which is essential or for purposes which are not
directly related to our families' welfare and the basic mission
of the Church.
|p6 I love you, my brethren, young and old, and I am grateful
for your faith and your devotion to the cause of the Master. I
express my affection for you and leave my blessing with you. And
I pray our Heavenly Father to bless you and your families, your
homes, and your work. God bless you, peace be with you, in the
name of Jesus Christ, amen.
April 5, 1981 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
We Are on the Lord's Errand
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, this has been a glorious
conference. We are grateful to all who have taken part in any
way. My heart has been touched, and I have rejoiced and been
inspired as I listened to the beautiful music and the timely
messages of the Brethren.
|p2 We are happy to welcome Elder Angel Abrea as a member of the
First Quorum of the Seventy. For the present, he will return to
Rosario, Argentina, to continue his present assignment as
president of that mission. He will add great strength and depth
to the leadership of the Church as our newest General Authority.
|p3 As Sister Kimball and I have traveled to many places of the
world these past six months, I have been heartened and gratified
with the vitality and growth of the Church and the devotion and
unselfish service of the members in the stakes, wards, and
|p4 In this conference we have been counseled to conserve our
resources and ease the financial burdens on our people. Again we
urge the planting of home gardens and the maintenance of a
year's supply of food and clothing against a time of need.
|p5 We urge all Latter-day Saints to be good neighbors and to be
good citizens, loyal to their flag and country. "We believe in
being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in
obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." (Twelfth article of
faith.) All Americans, and indeed people throughout the
civilized world, were shocked and saddened last week when an
attempt was made to assassinate the president of the United
States, at which time he and three others near him were
seriously wounded. I am confident all of you join with me in a
fervent prayer that president Reagan and his associates will
speedily return to full health and strength. We deplore such
acts of violence wherever they may occur in the world.
|p6 During this conference we have focused on the basic mission
of the Church. We have been counseled to manage the growth of
the Church "in wisdom and order." (Mosiah 4:27.) We have been
urged to qualify ourselves to receive all the ordinances and
blessings of the gospel by keeping the commandments, our duty,
and paying a true tithe and generous fast offerings.
|p7 As we have met in this historic Tabernacle and have
contemplated things of eternity, it has seemed as though time
has stood still even though outside world events are moving at a
rapid pace.
|p8 I rejoice with you in the announcement of plans to build
nine new temples in the United States, Latin America, Asia,
Africa, and Europe. When these new temples are completed and
dedicated in approximately two years, the total number of
temples worldwide will increase to thirty-seven. We are pleased
to be able to provide more convenient access to the temples for
the Saints because many now have to travel long distances at
great expense in time and money to get to the nearest temple.
|p9 But these temples are only the beginning. As the work
progresses, there will be scores of temples |P79|p1 throughout
the world.
|p2 The other day, we were pleased to visit with a number of
brethren attending conference from Korea. And as we met
together, they told us of their great joy on hearing of our
plans for a temple in Korea. They had previously presented to us
Korean clan genealogies containing names of approximately
fifteen million people.
|p3 We are all very much aware, my brothers and sisters, that
the world is in turmoil. We are continually being tried and
tested as individuals and as a church. There are more trials yet
to come, but be not discouraged nor dismayed. Always remember
that if this were not the Lord's work, the adversary would not
pay any attention to us. If this Church were merely a church of
men and women, teaching only the doctrines of men, we would
encounter little or no criticism or resistance--but because this
is the Church of Him whose name it bears, we must not be
surprised when criticisms or difficulties arise. With faith and
good works, the truth will prevail. This is His work. There is
none other like it. Let us, therefore, press forward,
lengthening our stride and rejoicing in our blessings and
opportunities.
|p4 As we come to the close of this great conference, I wish to
say to you, my brothers and sisters, that we love you with all
our hearts. We appreciate all that you do, but of course, as
always, there is even more to do. The field is white, all ready
to harvest, but the time is so short and the laborers are so few
as we seek to share the gospel with our Father's other children
in all parts of the world.
|p5 We ask our Heavenly Father to give you power to extend your
knowledge to the people in your neighborhood who need it and to
take the gospel to areas in the world that need those great
blessings now more than ever.
|p6 My brethren and sisters, I testify to you that this is the
Lord's work and that it is true. We are on the Lord's errand.
This is His church and He is its head and the chief cornerstone.
God lives, and Jesus is the Christ. He is the Only Begotten Son,
the Savior and Redeemer of this world. I leave you with this
testimony and with my blessings and my love and affection, in
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
April 4, 1981 Welfare Session
President Spencer W. Kimball
WELFARE SESSION
April 4, 1981
Follow the Fundamentals
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters: As I have pondered the
social and economic conditions which confront us today, my
thoughts have taken me back to our pioneer heritage. Our people
have always been challenged by many and varied hardships which
have tried our faith. It has been so from the beginning.
|p2 During the winter of 1846-47, when the Saints were at Winter
Quarters preparing for their long and difficult trek across the
plains, my grandfather, Heber C. Kimball, for twenty-one years a
counselor to Brigham Young, was one of them. During that winter
the Lord declared in a revelation to President Young, "My people
must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to
receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion;
and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my
kingdom." (D&C 136:31; italics added.)
|p3 Few miracles in our history exceed that of establishing our
settlements in a desolate land no one else wanted and then
making the desert blossom as a rose. Our people not only
survived but flourished because of their faith and their family
solidarity. Our pioneer character was molded in the crucible of
hard work, sacrifice, pulling together, and depending upon the
Lord.
|p4 How well I remember my boyhood years in Arizona. Our living
came from the soil. There was little money and seldom enough to
go around. Going without and making do was our way of life. We
learned to share: we shared the work; we shared joys and
sorrows; we shared our food and our means. We had genuine
concern for one another. Our daily prayers reminded us how
dependent we are upon the Lord. We prayed and worked continually
for our daily bread.
|p5 Out of those pioneer experiences were formed strong family
ties. Now, once again, our resources are being severely
strained. `But once again our pioneer discipline can and will
see us through.
|p6 Though we have held these welfare sessions over the years,
we have never held one at a time more important than right now.
As we concern ourselves with the basic |P80|p1 economic needs of
our people, we must go back to basic principles. I am grateful
for the lessons of our pioneer past in which our people were
rich, spiritually, even though they had to do without much of
this world's goods.
|p2 Those of us in the Lord's work must recognize that work is a
spiritual necessity as well as an economic necessity. Our
pioneer forebears understood this.
|p3 Just as the pioneers shared what they had with the poor
among them, we must do likewise by the giving of more generous
fast offerings--not merely the cost of two meals.
|p4 Our pioneer ancestors did not look to government to care for
their families. They knew that their families were their
treasure and their own responsibility.
|p5 Brethren and sisters, plan and work in a way that will
permit you to be happy even as you do without certain things
that in times of affluence may have been available to you. Live
within your means and not beyond them. Where you have a plot of
land, however small, plant a garden. Staying close to the soil
is good for the soul. Purchase your essentials wisely and
carefully. Strive to save a portion of that which you earn. Do
not mistake many wants for basic needs.
|p6 Teach your children these basic principles in your family
councils. Our pioneer forebears used to sing those lyrics about
how "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." (Hymns,
no. 147.) It still does, my brothers and sisters! Let us not
forget the uses of adversity.
|p7 Let us be serene and filled with peace and love as we live
in a world that is unfortunately filled with increasing crime
and violence. Let us remember and keep the Lord's great
commandment to love our neighbors. Where there are differences
or misunderstandings, let us resolve or diminish them through
kindly, brotherly service and genuine concern and regard.
|p8 We speak not by way of alarm but by way of gentle counsel.
Let us go back to the basics and follow the fundamentals. Thus
we will experience a spiritual resurgence in our lives which
will help us through these tempestuous times.
|p9 I am grateful for the welfare instructions we receive in
this session of our conference. They are timely and worthy of
both our attention and our action. May the Lord bless us to heed
them and then to lead our people in the path that has been
marked for us by our leaders and by the Lord, I humbly pray, in
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
(No address from President Kimball in the October 1981 conference
due to illness)
April 3, 1982 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
Remember the Mission of the Church
President Spencer W. Kimball
(Read by his personal secretary, D. Arthur Haycock)
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, as we begin this
conference, I desire publicly to thank the Lord for preserving
me once again--as He has done so many times before. I extend my
love and gratitude to all of you for the many prayers that you
have offered in my behalf.
|p2 I am so grateful to have such loyal, devoted, and able
counselors in the First Presidency--President Tanner, President
Romney, and President Hinckley. I am grateful, too, for
President Benson and the members of the Council of the Twelve
and the other General Authorities. These wonderful and faithful
Brethren lead out so that the Lord's work goes forward. It is
His work, and He is at the helm.
|p3 Even though my strength will not permit me to do all that I
would like at the moment, I am blessed and I will continue to do
my part to the best of my ability. I wish I had more strength,
but as long as I have any strength, I will continue to bear my
testimony to the truth of this great latter-day work and to pray
for the Lord's blessings and His guidance to be upon us all!
|p4 I am so thankful to be here with you in this general
conference. My feelings are those of gratitude to my Heavenly
Father for giving me a part to play in His kingdom as it rolls
onward to its divine destiny.
|p5 It was exactly one year ago that I last attended conference
here in the Tabernacle. As you may know, I was in the hospital
at the time of the October 1981 conference. Last April I stated
that the mission of the Church is threefold:
|p6 First, to proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to
every nation, kindred, tongue, and people;
|p7 Secondly, to perfect the Saints by preparing them to receive
the ordinances of the gospel and by instruction and discipline
to gain exaltation;
|p8 Thirdly, to redeem the dead by performing vicarious
ordinances of the gospel for those who have lived on the earth.
(See ENSIGN, May 1981, p. 5.)
|p9 All three are part of one work--to assist our Father in
Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, in their grand and glorious
mission "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of
man." (Moses 1:39.) I renew that declaration today.
|p10 Let us keep these sacred principles in mind and make them
an integral part of our lives: that is, to proclaim the gospel,
to perfect the Saints, and to redeem the dead.
|p11 We are grateful for the growth of the Church throughout the
world, as we now have reached the five million mark in
membership. As I have said before, if we will do our part there
will be major growth, not only in numbers, but in the
righteousness of our people.
|p12 With the announcement just made of the plans to build four
more new temples--one in Boise, Idaho; another in Denver,
Colorado; another in Taipei, Taiwan; and in Guayaquil,
Ecuador--there continues the most intensive period of temple
building in the history of the Church. These four, when
completed, will bring to forty-one the number of temples
operating worldwide.
|p13 The building of these temples must be accompanied by an
ever stronger emphasis on genealogical research on the part of
all the members of the Church. Furthermore, implicit in the
building of temples is the principle of regular temple
attendance by the Saints. Nothing builds spirituality and our
understanding of the priesthood principles more than regular
|P5|p1 temple attendance.
|p2 Now, my brothers and sisters, as you read of troubles in so
many parts of the world, remember that the Lord knew these
problems would come, and that even with these problems He has
foreseen the growth of this Church and its people. Be of good
cheer, for the Lord is guiding His church. For nearly forty
years as a General Authority, I have watched Him guide this
church. I marvel at how He can work to bring to pass His
purposes by, using us in our weaknesses, but He does!
|p3 Love one another, brothers and sisters! Have love in your
homes and in your hearts! Be peacemakers even though we must
live in a world filled with wars and rumors of wars! (See D&C
45:26.) Follow the counsel you will receive in this general
conference. And I'll do my best to do likewise. Trust the Lord
and His unfolding purposes even when His purposes are not always
completely clear to us at the moment.
|p4 Brothers and sisters, be good member missionaries. Follow
the Brethren. Study the new editions of the scriptures. Plant
your gardens. Clean up, paint up, fix up your homes and your
yards. Live within your means. Be good neighbors. Be good
citizens in whatever land you live. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
(See Ex. 20:8.) Hold your family home evenings regularly every
Monday night. These are my words of counsel to you now, as they
have been so many times in the past.
|p5 Brothers and sisters, pray for the critics of the Church;
love your enemies. (See Matt. 5:44.) Use wisdom and judgment in
what you do and say, so that we do not give cause to others to
hold the Church or its people in disrepute. This work, which
Satan seeks in vain to tear down, is that which God has placed
on earth to lift mankind up!
|p6 When this conference is over, let us return to our homes,
our stakes and wards and branches with fresh determination to do
better and to be better. The Lord watches over you. He will see
you through your personal trials and challenges if you will stay
close to Him. I can testify to that as one who has known a few
challenges himself.
|p7 The Lord has not promised us freedom from adversity and
affliction. Instead, he has given us the avenue of communication
known as prayer, whereby we might humble ourselves and seek His
help and divine guidance. I have previously said that "they who
reach down into the depths of life where, in the stillness, the
voice of God is heard, have the stabilizing power which carries
them poised and serene through the hurricane of difficulties."
(ENSIGN, Jan. 1974, p. 17.)
|p8 Now, I have lived for more than half the 152 years the
restored Church has been upon the earth in this dispensation. I
have witnessed its marvelous growth until it now is established
in the four corners of the earth. As the Prophet Joseph said:
|p9 "Our missionaries are going forth to different nations, and
in Germany, Palestine, New Holland, Australia, the East Indies,
and other places, the Standard of Truth has been erected; no
unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions
may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may
defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and
independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited
every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till
the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah
shall say the work is done." (History of the Church, 4:540.)
|p10 Let us, then, press on confidently in the work of the Lord
as we look forward to the glorious years of promise ahead.
Through our faithfulness, all that God has promised will be
fulfilled.
|p11 Again, I express my love for the Lord, for my wife and
family, for my Brethren, and for each of you. I feel your love,
and I hope that you feel mine in return. I leave my blessings
with you. God, our Heavenly Father, lives. Jesus is the Christ,
the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He lives. He is
our Elder Brother, our Savior, and our Redeemer. This is my
solemn testimony to you, my beloved brothers and sisters, and 1
share it with you in love and in gratitude and in humility, in
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
April 3, 1982 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
The Lord Is at the Helm
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters, this is a great experience
for me. I have waited for this day and hoped for it and believed
for it. I have a great love for the people of this Church, and
gratitude for the love expressed by them and by all the people
of these valleys. So as I express that love for you and for the
memory of the great experiences I've had with you, I bear my
testimony: this work is divine, the Lord is at the helm, the
Church is true, and all is well. God bless you, brothers and
sisters, I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
October 2, 1982 General Conference
President Spencer W. Kimball
(Message read by D. Arthur Haycock)
The Lord Expects Righteousness
President Spencer W. Kimball
|p1 My beloved brothers and sisters: I am deeply grateful for
the privilege of meeting with you once again in a general
conference of the Lord's church. I look forward to, and draw
strength from, these general conferences, and I am anxious to
receive the counsel and instructions given to us under the
inspiration of the Lord. I find that if I listen carefully and
heed all that is said, my life is enriched and my inner soul is
nourished with the bread of life.
|p2 This wonderful Tabernacle Choir has just sung to us, and
they add so much to the spirit and enjoyment of our conference
sessions. The choir recently celebrated another anniversary,
more than a half-century of "Music and the Spoken Word," the
longest continuous radio broadcast in the free world. As I
listen to the lovely melodies of the Tabernacle Choir and organ,
I am comforted by the assurance that there will be beautiful
music in heaven, and for that I am most grateful. Some say there
will be no music in that other place--but then some sounds that
pass for music probably belong in that other place!
|p3 The past six months have not been the most active of times
for Sister Kimball and me. As you are aware, we have been
somewhat restricted due to a condition known as growing older. I
believe I now understand a bit more clearly what is meant by
enduring to the end. It is difficult and frustrating not to be
able to do all that I would like to do. Nevertheless, I still do
many things. Almost daily I join with my Brethren for meetings
at the Church office, and I meet every Thursday in the temple
with the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve.
|p4 I have enjoyed some extra-curricular activities as well.
During the summer, Sister Kimball and I attended the Salt Lake
Valley Dance Festival. We rode in the Days of '47 Pioneer Parade
and attended the rodeo. Last Saturday, we joined with 65,000
others at the BYU-Air Force football game at the newly expanded
BYU stadium in Provo.
|p5 I am grateful for my able and devoted Counselors, President
Tanner, President Romney, and President Hinckley. As I reflect
upon the great loyalty and love these men extend to me daily, I
am reminded of an experience that Moses had during his advancing
years. The Israelites were contending with the Amalekites, "and
it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel
prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
|p6 "But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put
it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron [his brother] and
Hur [the husband of his sister, Miriam] stayed up his hands, the
one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his
hands were steady until the going down of the sun." (Ex.
17:11-12.)
|p7 Surely Moses had no greater support than that which I
receive from my beloved Brethren. I am thankful, too, for
President Benson and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve and
the other General Authorities, all of whom labor so diligently
in the Lord's vineyard. I am sorry, however, that my dear friend
Elder LeGrand Richards is not with us this morning. He has been
sitting here on this stand since 1938.
|p8 I am gratified with the growth of the Church around the
world, for the nearly fifty new stakes which have been approved
or created since we were in general conference last April, and
for the groundbreakings that have occurred for the building of
five more temples. These are all important indicators of the
growth of the kingdom. I hope and pray always for the spiritual
as well as the numerical growth of the Lord's church.
|p9 My brothers and sisters, there seems to be a general state
of wickedness in the world in these perilous yet crucially
momentous days. But in the midst of all the turmoil about us, we
can have an inner peace. We are richly blessed and have so much
to be thankful for. As I meditate upon these things, I remember
the words of the Lord, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of
him much shall be required." (Luke 12:48.) The Lord expects of
us righteousness and obedience to His commandments in return for
the bounties of life He has so richly bestowed upon us. It seems
that iniquity abounds on all sides, with the Adversary taking
full advantage of the time remaining to him in this day of his
power. The leaders of the Church continually cry out against
that which is intolerable in the sight of the Lord: against
pollution of mind and body and our surroundings; against
vulgarity, stealing, lying, cheating, false pride, blasphemy,
and drunkenness; against fornication, adultery, homosexuality,
abortion; and all other abuses of the sacred power to create;
against murder and all that is like unto it; against all |P5|p1
manner of degradation and sin.
|p2 As Latter-day Saints we must ever be vigilant. The way for
each person and each family to guard against the slings and
arrows of the Adversary and to prepare for the great day of the
Lord is to hold fast to the iron rod' to exercise greater faith,
to repent of our sins and shortcomings, and to be anxiously
engaged in the work of His kingdom on earth, which is The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Herein lies the only true
happiness for all our Father's children. We invite all men and
women of good will everywhere to join in this divine and
redeeming latter-day work.
|p3 Let us honor our families and enjoy our happy homes. As I
speak to you of home and family, I desire to give some further
counsel regarding the safety and well-being of your loved ones.
There is a growing evil in our nation--the kidnapping of
children. Our hearts go out in love and sympathy and compassion
to all who have been thus bereft of precious little ones. I
implore you mothers and fathers of Zion to keep a constant
watchcare over your children. Teach them to beware of the
growing danger of evil and designing men and pray ever for your
children's welfare. The Devil is not dead, nor does he sleep.
|p4 The Savior loved little children. He often spoke of them,
and He called them, like lambs, to His side, and He blessed
them. And He said, "But whoso shall offend one of these little
ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned
in the depth of the sea." (Matt. 18:6.)
|p5 I call upon all who, for whatever reason or purpose, have
torn a little child from the arms of its mother, to repent and
hearken to my plea. I pray that the tears and pleadings of loved
ones will soften their hearts so that they may be constrained to
return these little ones to the bosom of their grieving
families.
|p6 My brothers and sisters, the day for carrying the gospel to
ever more places and people is here and now. We must come to
think of our obligation to share the message rather than of our
own convenience. Calls from the Lord are seldom convenient. The
time is here when sacrifice must become an even more important
element in the Church. We must increase our devotion so that we
can do the work the Lord has for us to do. There is a |P6|p1
growing need for more missionaries now that the term of service
is shorter but they must be those who have a desire to go and
who have been carefully trained and prepared through the family
and the various Church organizations. Young men, with the
encouragement of their parents, should begin early in life to
prepare with the spirit of saving, with the spirit of studying
and praying about the gospel, with the spirit of attending
seminary and institute classes. And of prime importance is
preparation by keeping their lives clean and worthy. The parting
words of the Master to His Apostles just before His Ascension
were, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature.
|p2 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he
that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16.)
|p3 We must not falter nor weary in well-doing. We must lengthen
our stride. Not only is our own eternal welfare at stake, but
also the eternal welfare of many of our brothers and sisters who
are not now members of this, the true Church. I thrill to the
words of the Prophet Joseph Smith in a letter that he sent to
the Church from Nauvoo on September 6, 1842: "Shall we not go on
in so great a cause? Go forward.... Courage ... and on, on to
the victory!'' (D&C 128:22.)
|p4 Now, my dear brothers and sisters, there are some in the
world who mistakenly say that we are a non-Christian Church--a
cult; that we worship Joseph Smith rather than our Savior, Jesus
Christ. How far from the truth they are! What heresy! The Lord
declared, "For thus shall my church be called in the last days,
even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (D&C
115:4.)
|p5 We have a hope in Christ here and now. He died for our sins.
Because of Him and His gospel, our sins are washed away in the
waters of baptism; sin and iniquity are burned out of our souls
as though by Fire; and we become clean, we have a clear
conscience, and we gain that peace which passeth understanding.
|p6 We believe, and it is our testimony, and we proclaim it to
the world, "that there shall be no other name given nor any
other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children
of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord
Omnipotent.'' (Mosiah 3:17.)
|p7 We know, and it is our testimony, and we proclaim it to the
world, that to be saved men must "believe that salvation was,
and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of
Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (Mosiah 3:18.)
|p8 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our
prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may
look for a remission of their sins.'' (2 Ne. 25:26.)
|p9 For the past century and a half since the Restoration,
beginning with the Prophet Joseph Smith, the latter-day prophets
of God have raised their voices in clarity and with authority an
truth as they have borne their testimonies of the divinity of
this great latter-day work and the redemptive power of the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
|p10 To the testimonies of these mighty men I add my testimony.
I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that
He was crucified for the sins of the world. He is my friend, my
Savior, my Lord and my God. With all my heart I pray that the
Saints may keep His commandments, have His Spirit to be with
them, and gain an eternal inheritance with Him in celestial
glory.
|p11 As we begin this conference let us wait upon the Lord for
His blessing and His divine approbation. I pray the Lord to
bless you; and as His servant, I bless you. In the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
(President Kimball was not present nor did he prepare and address
for the April 1983, October 1983, April 1984, October 1984, April 1985,
October 1985 conferences due to illness. He passed away before the April
1986 conference.)